Survival Instincts
by AutumnSiren29
Summary: Driven to rage from one conversation that changed the whole world he knew; Harry Potter then decided to change fate and to become the powerful wizard he knew deep down that he was. Years have passed by now, and Lord Potter is now returning to the war, but not to the side everyone expects of him to be on.
1. Chapter 1: Broken Bonds of Light

_**Author' Notice:**_ Yes, I know…(already?), but this is quite important. Firstly, this story is going to be quite a bit darker than any of my previous ones no matter if they were finished or not. This story is definitely not going to be pleasant or easy to read for those who like the Weasleys, Hermione, Albus and numerous other characters associated to the Light Side. There is going to be a lot of death, bloodshed, violence, and much more to this than any other story I have written before now. I caution all to read this with hesitance and discretion.

Next, please note that this story is still in the experimental area of planning. I do not have any spare chapters for this written as of this moment in time; though, I do intend to get some more done as the plot comes more together and my muse helps me to cohesively put the pieces together. As the direction of the story is somewhat clear, but not finite…I am liable to change some aspects as more chapters come and evolve the work too. I also have not set a specific number of chapters for this one, but I do plan on trying to update it and one other story more frequently now that I am free to do so.

 **Survival Instincts**

 **Chapter I:** _B_ _reaking the Bond to the Light_

It had been four years since he had graduated school and was then pushed to train harder for the war that had engulfed them all. Three of those years he sweat, bled and gave all he had to the fight for the freedom he thought was deserved from the encroaching shadows. In one conversation; he had heard enough to be furious and walk away with knowledge that others would rue he had ever heard them talking and that they had ever known him.

He was twenty-one years old now, and no one made choices for him anymore. He had secured his estates and his personal freedom next to as soon as he could have after he had confirmed to himself of the learned betrayal. It had been a hard road for the last two months as everything was finally finished up and put to order, but he knew it had well been worth the effort.

The dawning sun was rising steadily over a vast manor estate in the hidden woods somewhere outside of Bristol. The Manor was well-kept and secluded from most people who dared not enter the forest because of old tales surrounding them. Today was the day where the young lord of the estate set to make his move and to free himself from the bonds that had him chained down once before in full totality for the betrayer's actions to him. It really was war now.

Inside a large and obviously expensive master suite, was a young man who had seen a lot in his short life. He had black hair the color of the darkest night sky and now reached just past his mid-back as it swayed in the light summer breeze that floated in through the open windows while his eyes glittered and sparkled as if they were the most precious and costly of emeralds.

He had already broken free of the binds that kept him within a life of misery before. Once uninhibited by his watchers and assured he would not be found unless he wanted to be, he had then trained hard physically and honed his body back into shape from its state of malnutrition over the last several years with aid of people he thought had his best interests at heart. His eyes hardened as he gazed to the mirror while finishing dressing for the day; it had all been lies.

Four years ago, leading up to his majority…he had always known he was powerful, but he had never exactly quite realized how much so until he literally felt magic run through his veins as if it were his own blood. The blood of the Peverells that now would once more be known to the world as he got his revenge to those who used him. Death favored him and Harry knew the spirit eagerly awaited his actions; for many on the light had cheated death as well as those to the dark side.

The difference was that Death allowed some of the cheats to come to pass, but the ones Harry intending to dole out were to those who had trespassed on the laws of magic, time, and so much more. The spirit would come to him; if he but asked, and Harry knew many would be scared out of their minds to know he had sway over one of the spirits that governed life on the world.

Harry sighed; Death had also helped him personally after his initial break from Albus, the Order and those who sought to control him and his powers.

The malnutrition had not hindered the magical growth of his core; only his physical growth oddly. Of course, signs of it still were there now in his body if one was observant, but to the brief glances of most…they would not be able to see it.

Death had given him time to train without further aging himself. He had come to respect him as Harry did to the spirit and both knew there would come a day where the last Peverell heir would walk to the Void without regret and be accompanied by his friend willingly. Death had never asked for nor sought his cloak from Harry; the spirit had told him he had yet to have a need for it.

The young lord was known as Harry James Potter-Black to all around him, but he then sneered as tried to concentrate on getting dressed for the day ahead.

Not more than a week ago, Harry had endured another magical surge of growth to his core. His magical core combusted like a fractured grenade that set-off alarmingly fast and broke many sealing spells on him. Ones that had not been broken during his original inheritance. The required power to do this nearly had killed him if not for his head house elf here and his otherworldly friend who had helped the elf guide its actions.

With the release of his power and the new knowledge that invaded him from somewhere; it had caused him to panic. He had managed to accidentally apparate outside the wards that had contained his magic and presence. Outside the protection zone, he became very vulnerable to attack and if not for Mipsy…he would be dead now.

Even now the Order, or what remained of it who was loyal to Albus; they hunted him and Harry knew they wanted to persuade him to come back to them. Not after all they had done; there was no more chances left for him to give to them all.

Once he had time to recollect his mind, Harry was further enraged with Albus Dumbledore, the Order and some of those he considered closest to him. Albus's untimely demise had forced him to become more quiet and solemn. As so not to arouse suspicions from anyone else. Then, his inheritance gave him the confidence he needed to have to be doing what he was planning. But, this new knowledge had also given him the means to execute his plans more quickly and efficiently.

Harry had just finished dressing in the luxuriant robes of emerald velvet. They had a golden lining and were not formal robes, but still high-collared. His tailored black dress pants and new dress shoes gave him the regal appearance of someone his age should have. His wand hidden in the sleeves of the robes amid a concealed holster and an enchanted knife was hidden within the garments as well.

Harry smiled slightly as he pulled his now longer hair into a high-pony-tail and secured it with a black silk hair tie. A pop sound was heard as he turned with a raised eyebrow.

"Master Potter, your invited guests…they have arrived here early and are waiting on you in the sitting room off of the dining area. I hope you is knowing what you are doing. Mipsy be knowing it is necessary; I can feel it in the bond to me to your house, but I worry what the old magic may do to you in time." The female elf said to him, "Simply because the dark magic can no longer corrupt and taint you does not mean it cannot harm you."

Harry merely nodded his head with a stoic expression and ignored her concern over the old magic she spoke of; it was irrelevant now.

"Thank you for letting me know Mipsy. I will be down soon, so you can return to your duties. Just be sure to listen if I should need to summon you for anything. Have the others be watchful. I do not exactly think this plan will go afoul, but I wish to be prepared should it do so."

She bowed and popped out.

Harry smiled slightly as he looked himself over in the mirror before a smirk graced his features, "Time to turn things upside down."

* * *

Down on the ground floor, there were three guests waiting for the young man who had cautiously asked to have an audience with them. All of them were nervous, as they were in his territory now and they had no idea what to expect while they were here. The tension in the air now was palpable and you could almost assume that it could have been cut with a knife if it were visible to the naked eye. The magic of the home also was far more sentient and present in the place than any of them had ever thought it to be. It had them all on the edge.

"What do you suppose Potter wants, Father?" Draco Malfoy said, "I mean…he has absolutely no reason to wish to speak to us really, and we are his enemies?"

Lucius eyed his son wearily as he had no wish to try and explain this to him, "Draco, I do not know why he asked for this. All I am aware of is that Harry came into his inheritance four years ago today and into massive power that has great influence worldwide. He has been absent from the war-front for too long, except for a few skirmishes here or there; and no one knows why. It is odd. If I had to guess…his coming of age did something to promote this surely…however, I believe that something more recent has happened to push him to this. It would be a bad idea to…ignore what could potentially be a gain for us."

The third man in the room remained silent to this. His ruby eyes both curious and suspicious. He would admit to being surprised when he had received the request from Potter for a chance to speak to him. A chance to talk on neutral ground and where no one needed to be killed or hurt to ensure that the talking was kept to civil tones and outcomes.

"I somewhat agree Lucius, but Draco does have a point. Even if Potter had something revealed to him during his majority…why wait until now to speak up; the chances it led to this are slim at best." Tom told them finally as he spoke up

All three then went silent as they felt a massive aura approach the room. They tensed and waited as the doors opened. Soft and light steps came forth, nearly silent and as if a alpha hunter had stalked in, and Harry glided into the sitting room regally with his shoulders proud and tall.

Draco's eyes widened to this. This was not the image of Potter he remembered seeing leave the school, and magic or not; inheritances do not fix everything. Four years had done him a kindness in his time away in hiding. Lucius and Tom were just as stunned though both remained stoic and observant to him.

"Greetings to all of you. I am…pleased you have decided to entertain my request. I honestly expected you to ignore it." Harry smiled truthfully as he sat across from them, "Now, have you all eaten yet?"

All three shook their heads and Harry nodded before he snapped his fingers. Mipsy then reappeared and looked curious.

"Master Potter?" She asked

"Please bring my guests and myself some breakfast. I would also appreciate it if you brought tea and scones." He asked

She bowed, "Of course."

She vanished and Harry turned to them and saw that they looked like he had grown an extra head. He scowled now, "I am trying to be a courteous host even if the company is some that others would question. I am also trying to be polite."

"This request is not meant to be a simple social call. Far from it, and the matter I wish to discuss is quite a bit more serious than run-of-the-mill conversation. So, serious in fact, that it could change the flow of the war if handled delicately enough and you all are willing to hear me out."

Tom seemed intrigued by this, "How so?"

Harry eyed him hesitantly, "Before I get to the more urgent problems, I have to ask. Have you ever found out the remaining half of the prophecy?"

Tom tensed as his eyes narrowed, "No. I have not been able to find another recording stored anywhere."

Harry then sighed and nodded, "I suspected as much. Albus holds his share of information closely to him. It makes sense that he would be unwilling to share it with any foreign ministries due to security risks."

Tom eyed him warily, "You know the full contents of it, don't you?"

Harry smirked now in his direction, "Yes. I have known the full contents of the prophecy for nearly six years now. Its contents are now void though, and I will endeavor to explain why now."

The three guests seemed intrigued and sat back more easily as the young man had made no move to threaten them.

Harry sipped at his tea and gave a momentary pause before he spoke softly, "My inheritance brought about a lot of…changes for me to deal with. Ones that I was not prepared to handle, and especially not with how Albus has always kept me in the dark when things were important for me to know. My core is obviously much larger than last you saw me. My magic is so because the seals that Albus placed on me before he left me with my relatives are gone and have broken."

The room was utterly silent.

Mipsy returned with food as Harry then allowed them a moment to let what he had told them sink in. Tom was seemingly the most affected; even if his expressions gave away nothing.

"He sealed your magic? Why and for what purpose?" Lucius asked, "I have a hard time understanding why he would need to do such a thing? Not only would that have made you virtually helpless to whatever harm the muggles did to you, it would have also made your core's reserves double or triple their natural boundaries because of the suppressed magic?"

Harry scowled, "To use me as means to an end for the war; one that would inevitably sacrifice himself for the good of all others without ever questioning why it was necessary. The prophecy was fulfilled that night seventeen years ago, Tom. You came after me, marked me with my famous scar, and tried to kill me. For some reason beyond magical knowledge, you failed as your curse ricocheted back at you and I obliterated you for the next eleven years."

Harry eyed them warily, "But, we both survived the encounter. This is key in understanding why the prophecy is void."

"Whatever means you have used to keep yourself here have worked. Now, you have no need for them. Because we have both survived, the prophecy is void and we are both immortal."

Tom's eyes widened, "How do you know for sure?"

Harry eyed him hesitantly, "Under normal circumstances; I would refuse to tell this to anyone. But, I cannot hope to do my tasks alone any longer; not with how the Order hunts me in the dark hours while the Ministry seeks me in the daylight. I nearly died several weeks ago. My magic surged again and my core grew for a second time. The raw power required of this should have drained out of me, but then the magic surrounded me and healed me. I was mortally wounded from the backlash of the combusting of my own core and should not have survived, yet; here I am."

Tom wanted to question why he had even had a second growth like this, but refrained when Harry continued to speak.

"Regardless, we are both immortal and cannot die by any normal means. This means that whoever attempts to kill either of us needs to be very creative or very cunning. Albus believes the prophecy is to be fulfilled when you are dead for good and I died along with you. Regardless of fate and destinies, the headmaster used me and still is trying to through his Order and other allies. I no longer will tolerate it."

His gaze hardened as he paused his meal, "Not after being hunted down like an animal to be slaughtered by the very people you had entrusted your life to. I gave them my power, trust, loyalty for years and then my inheritance came and everyone then gives me the fearful eyes and shuddering breaths whenever I came around."

Harry then smirked as he turned to Draco, "Some families are better than others. You warned me of that ten years ago now, and I did not wish to listen. I blame it on my need to find my place in our world. Not realizing I had already had one. Perhaps that is also what the Headmaster counted on me doing. If so, I did what he wanted without asking myself much even though I have always viewed adults in authority with caution."

Draco then smirked as well as his father looked confused on what this was about and Tom's eyes narrowed between the two.

Harry stood and gracefully walked about, "I have a theory as to why Albus may have sealed my magic so long ago, but to prove it I need to gather some artifacts that are my heritage."

"Many know that the Potter lineage is nearly as old as the wizarding world in Britain. We were there when Merlin founded it and set about the laws that governed it. We were there when the first Ministry of Magic burned in rebellion to the new laws that restricted the citizens and endangered their welfare to outsiders. What many fail to realize is that the name 'Potter' was never recorded then." Harry smiled mysteriously, "No, it did not exist in any familial genealogy until much later."

Lucius's brow furrowed, "I notice you fail to mention what family the Potters came from?"

Harry turned to Tom, "You are the heir of Salazar Slytherin and I am the direct descendant of Godric Gryffindor. However, Tom, do you know if your line goes back much farther?"

Tom seemed curious now, "It does go back a bit further, but not anywhere to where yours seems to be heading. Why?"

Harry seemed disappointed, "Because if it did then we both would have been descended from the Peverell line."

The three looked shocked now and showed it openly.

"How exactly are you related to the Peverells?" Lucius asked slowly as he came from his stunned state as Draco nodded to this.

"I am directly related to Ignotus Peverell through my father obviously. One of Ignotus's heiresses married into the Gryffindor line and this is how Godric was brought into my line as well and how he had retained the Gryffindor name."

Harry paced about now, "As for the sealing of my magic; Albus has always feared that someone would come and take his place as a leader away. Albus defeated Grindelwald for personal reasons as much as he did for the community. Then Tom came to his school; an orphan and magically gifted beyond comparison to many others his age."

"He was so talented; even many of the professors there now who knew him as a boy or those who teach but were students alongside of him agree to this, and they also are in agreement that he could have done anything he wanted in the world. But, Tom was also bitter and cold from what he had endured in his young life. And now as Tom's antithesis, I was born."

Harry's smile now was bittersweet, "Or at least I was in order to fulfill Albus's demands of the false prophecy. I survived the attack at the Hollow, and Albus had not expected that to occur. Don't get me wrong; my parents loved me…they died for me in order for me to live, but they were blind to Albus's hidden agenda until far too late to counteract it."

Tom watched Harry warily; he seemed to know a great deal of his former life and he knew not how other than Albus may have told him.

Harry then stopped, "I can now no longer trust those I once thought to be my allies. I can no longer give the light my support as fully as I once did. It would be nigh impossible when my magical orientation is now darker than most."

Harry then smirked as his eyes became far-away and a deep purple energy sort-of surrounded him. Tom gasped, "Harry, you shouldn't do such magic without preparing other defenses if your body should collapse."

Harry heard him, but the smirk remained as Tom frowned. Lucius watched this display and wondered what the boy was trying to achieve with it. Draco turned to his father, "What is Potter doing and why is our Lord so distressed by his actions?"

Lucius spoke softly without removing his gaze from the boy, "He is drawing upon all the dark energy within himself and the house. He is allowing it to come to him and to surround his body and to encase him. Like a shield, except it would fully cover his whole body."

"The danger is that the dark energy feeds from his magic and should he run out; he could die."

Draco's eyes widened as he turned back to Potter and saw how the dark energy just kept coming to him. Tom was in vain trying to get the boy to stop, but Harry ignored him.

Tom then stopped as he waited to see if Potter wanted them to see something. Indeed, that seemed to be the case as Harry kept drawing dark energy and did not tire out nor seem to be able do so soon.

After a few moments, Harry stopped and smiled.

"Ah, there is nothing like the feel of raw magic." He smirked to Tom who was now scowling, "Especially raw magic tinted with darkness. I can feel magic around me and easily replenish my reserves this way if I need to. I can absorb magic now and take it in even when I may not need it."

"Albus and the Light have betrayed me and I cannot sit here idly while I wait for them to decide whether they will keep me alive or try again to kill me. As they did a few weeks ago."

"I offer my allegiance to the dark in return for not bearing the dark mark. I can do more for you without it." Harry said slowly, "The people still respect me and your side needs to have someone willing to help others see the benefits of dark magic without causing panic."

"Ruling through fear is fine if you enjoy revolts and such. Ruling a nation without anyone to rule over is just not the same. I do agree in principle to many of the dark side's ideals, but we need to reevaluate how to go about them." Harry smirked, "I am not saying that the raids and such have to stop…just be more limited and restrained."

"I might even participate." He added slyly

The three others eyed him warily now and Harry sighed; he knew this was a major decision for them all to consider. He had been fighting against them for nearly his whole life actively.

Tom watched him with contemplation after his words seemed to be genuine, "Why should we even trust you to be on our side? You have fought us at every turn for your whole life; even when I have tried before to persuade you to join me?"

Lucius raised a brow to that as Draco stared between them; they had not been aware that their lord had ever considered such a thing.

Harry smiled, "Funny, as I was just thinking how this was such a complicated and large decision on your part because of the exact things."

Harry then walked to the fireplace as his smile faded and his looks became darker, "On your parts and in full amounts of common sense, you should not trust me at all. However, I gave my trust and my loyalty to the light once. They abused it, betrayed it, and finally they would have forced me to fight for them if they thought I was going rogue."

"I knew to keep them at arms-length; though I often appeared too trusting to others to keep both sides from knowing too much of my plans. The Light thought me gullible for being so open in some ways. It was this that allowed Albus to use me as he has. The dark has always seen my openness as a weakness, one that would get me hurt."

Harry's face smiled darkly, "Oh it did, but that hurt is now going to come back and to haunt those who betrayed me. It also made me stronger."

"The one thing you need to know about me is that if I give you my loyalty and trust; it is always at its fullest until you betray me. Once you break that bond of trust, you will never regain it unless I deign to hear the reasons why you broke it."

"If I say I am willingly giving the dark my allegiance, this means I am giving all of you the benefit of doubt and placing all my trust in you to help me avenge the wrongs that have been done to me. I am giving you my full cooperation and loyalty in return for the same should I ever need it."

Tom eyed him with respect, "So, there is no turning back for you after this?"

Harry snorted, "To the light side? Definitely not, but should you betray me…I will vanish and you will never find me again until I decide to return here. I will get my vengeance on my own terms and will not interfere with your agenda."

Harry then turned to Tom, "Think of my offer more as of a courtesy. I do not need to side with you to do what I want. It would make things easier for me, but I do not necessarily need you or your resources to aid me."

"You, on the other hand, need me. You know how manipulative Albus is, but you do not know his plans or how far he was and very much still is willing to go to destroy you. I do, and I have information that could destroy his image if you wanted to do this before you kill him."

Tom raised a brow, "And exactly how do you know I am not well-aware of how far he is willing to go?"

Harry smirked now, "Because he knows what all your Horcruxes are and is now trying to locate them. He nearly had the Gaunt ring, but I managed to undo the curse around the traps and swipe it before he managed to get to it."

Tom then paled as Lucius looked ill and Draco seemed confused. Harry looked to the two blondes before he made a tsk sound at Tom, "Surely your elites know of how you have kept yourself alive for so long?"

Tom the scowled deeply, "Some of them do yes, but not all of them."

Lucius then eyed the two warily. Only those two could argue as they were without consequences. If he had tried this years ago, his lord would have tortured and killed him before he had uttered three words.

"Anyway, how do you know of the horcruxes?" he asked suspiciously

Harry snorted, "How do you think? Albus started training me in fifth year to defeat you. First, he had Snape try to teach me Occlumency to shield my mind from you. His hatred of me led to us mentally clashing too often and the lessons stopped. I learned the skill and Legilimency much later on."

"In my sixth year, training began before I ever reached the school. Albus took me to help him get Horace Slughorn to come out of his hiding and retirement. Once that had happened; Albus had begun showing me memories of you in your youth to help me understand how Tom Riddle became he who is known as Dark Lord Voldemort."

"This is why Horace Slughorn was teaching us Potions in our last two years of school. Mainly so he could use me and my fame to try and manipulate him into giving up memories of what he knew since Albus was aware he was your head of house and he had told you things."

"It did not work to his advantage exactly. See, Horace does not play in Light or Dark. He is a scholar and prefers knowledge over all else; be it light, or dark. Slughorn is the one who inadvertently made me begin to see what Albus was doing and why it was not so…light. Albus constantly pestered me to gain memories from him when I attended the club Horace was known for. Much to my utter displeasure, I might add. Even after I did manage to get the memories from him; I did not hand them over. I had become too suspicious by that point."

"Instead, I kept them to myself and used what I learned from him to aid me. How Albus found out…I can only guess at."

Tom was silent as Harry then scowled, "Oh yes, I want to know why you have a certain fabled black stone embedded into your family ring instead of the emerald that is supposed to be there?"

Tom now fidgeted under the scrutiny as Lucius watched in interest as did Draco.

"That stone belongs to me by birthright, so I will be removing it soon and replacing it with the proper gemstone." Harry told him and Tom scowled but did not say anything.

"If you three would like, you may stay here over the night to think on what I have proposed to you all? You can watch and see if I seem genuine or not?" Harry asked of them

Draco smiled, "I would like to stay and get to know the you I haven't seen since first year?"

Harry smirked now, "And how would you know? I can be very deceptive when I want."

Draco then scowled, "I know. I felt you would have made a great ally all those years ago when we were eleven. But, you rejected my hand for a chance at friendship and an alliance. Then sorted in Gryffindor…"

Harry smiled, "Ah, a mistake I will never forgive myself for."

Draco's brow rose in confusion as the other two men watched in intrigue.

"I will never forgive myself for allowing myself to talk the Sorting Hat out of placing me into Slytherin as it originally wished to." Harry smirked as all three seemed shocked, "But, I was younger and more naïve even if I was wary. I wanted to badly find my place. You came to me when I was already having my first chance a friendship with someone and then appeared to bully them."

Harry smiled sadly, "I did not want to reject you necessarily, but you made it rather easy to do. You were a prat."

Draco scowled, "You're the one who had to sit with Weasley."

Harry sighed, "Maybe, but you still should have gone about things more tactfully. Perhaps asking to speak with me in your own compartment?"

Lucius then turned, "Draco, you may stay if you wish to. I am returning to the Manor to inform your mother of the happenings. She will know you intend to stay, so we will not expect you for lunch later today or dinner tonight."

He then turned to his liege and bowed low, "My lord, I bid you a good rest of the day."

Tom nodded as he then turned to Harry, "I will stay for the time being. There are some matters I wish to discuss with you privately."

Draco frowned, "Guess that means I am not wanted for those."

Harry smirked, "Well, the world does not revolve around you."

Draco glared now, "Nor does it around you; much despite your fame in our world."

Harry smiled, "Touche."

Harry then beckoned them, "Come follow me and we can adjourn to garden or somewhere less formal."

Draco followed him easily as Tom watched his friend's son with wariness. Draco had always been…obsessive over Potter and he wondered if it was due to the fact Draco harbored romantic inclinations to him.

Tom did not know exactly how he felt about that. Part of him didn't care much. Another part said romance would simply distract him and he did not need it even if he desired it or wanted it. The last and most dark part of him was jealous of Draco and how open he could be to the young lord Potter was now.

The boy had power that drew him to him and made Tom rather attracted to the younger wizard. He would not act on his desires though unless he felt he needed to or wanted to at some point. Especially if Harry initiated it. One part of his mind said to simply take the boy and make him his to keep Draco away. A part he agreed with but would not act on.

Harry was not an object to be claimed. He would have to wait and see if anything came of his feelings as mutual between them.


	2. Chapter 2: Considerations

**Chapter II:** _Considerations_

Harry decided to show his hesitant guests the manor house in which his family used for generations before more homes had been built and used in place of the oldest manor home within all of wizard Europe. Draco was sure he may never have gotten this chance if things had been different and Tom had only ever been here once before and he had not stayed and tarried there long enough to search the place for anything valuable. It had been when he killed Charlus and Dorea for defying him and refusing to join his side.

Harry told them many interesting facts of the home and showed them the main places they would be if they stayed for a prolonged period of time. The home was easily as large and as grand as the Malfoy Mansion was Draco admitted silently to himself as he took in the décor and lavish furnishings. The only difference was the mansion Potter lived in felt warm and cozy versus indifferent and cold like his did.

"Now, through these doors you get to the basement. We have our potions lab down here as well as our state of the art training facility. There is a ritual room and cold storage down here that is used as a place to preserve potions or their ingredients. Our dungeons from ages past are here too and are well-maintained even if they're not being used currently.

They are the second level downward after climbing the stairs down the first time. There is an indoor swimming pool there too, but it is used mainly for water training exercises alongside of the training area."

Harry turned to the left, "Through these double doors is the large sunroom and leisure area that precedes and leads out to the outdoor patio and family garden. The path in the garden that leads off from the left side after you pass the fountain in the grounds leads to the manor's quidditch pitch, stables, herb greenhouses; both magical and normal, and at the very far end through a locked iron gate, is the Potter family crypts."

Harry eyed them warily, "I suggest avoiding the crypts. The ghosts that inhabit the area are…rather unfriendly to those not of Potter or Peverell blood. The area is heavily warded and enchanted to keep the spirits from roaming outside the graveyard. If you really want to go there and see them; then I will need to be there."

Both others nodded; they knew better than to wander into a place where the ghosts of the dead were and to disturb them. Tom was kind-of curious about exactly all of whom was buried there since he had personally seen most of the last few generations being buried there, but he would wait till another time to enquire after it. He knew they were all of Harry's lineage, but he guessed there would be some notable figures who rested there.

"Oh, and do try not to offend or harass the griffins that tend to nest in the wood here. They can be very friendly and likable to others if treated with respect despite that I am well-aware they are considered extinct. One of the griffin young tends to bond to the Potter heir or heiress at some point; though I have yet to meet one who could bond to me."

Tom wondered if Harry would allow a griffin to bond with him; knowing how they were seen a creatures of the light.

"The one to the right leads to a much larger swimming pool that is now often used for outdoor fun, relaxation, and the entertaining of guests for all ages. I may not bring my former friends here to relax as I once might have done, but I am not isolated either. Not totally. There is also a hot tub and sauna there as well." He smiled as Draco's eyes lit up like Christmas lights.

He turned to the grand staircase made of dark mahogany and white marble. It was suitably carpeted some with rich burgundy and gold threaded fabric.

"The stairs here will lead you to the upper levels. You will find many of the guest bedrooms and the suites there along with my personal study. My study cannot be accessed to anyone without me in their accompaniment as the wards there now have been improved considerably since I arrived here. There is also a dueling room, if you do not want to use the facility in the basement."

"The Potter family library is on the second upper level; or the one accessible to guests. The more rare and priceless books in there have been removed and placed into my study for safety purposes. The third floor is the family wing and no one but my blood or those I allow can be up there, even if it is merely bedrooms and bathrooms."

He turned so, "So where do you want to go first?"

Draco eyes gleamed, "I want to see the Pitch and maybe we can have some one on one seeker challenges? It's been years after all since we had a suitable challenge against the other, and I want to see if you've retained that legendary flying skill of yours?"

Harry eyed him momentarily then smiled, "All right, is this okay with you Tom? I don't wish to make you sit around for hours and be bored while we are playing around outside."

Tom smiled, "I hear you are unrivaled in the air, so I would like to see if that is true."

Harry smirked, "As you wish. Draco, perhaps we can make this more fun? How about whoever wins three of four matches gets a reward?"

Draco smirked as Tom's gaze now heated at what Harry said.

"And what exactly is the reward?" Draco asked

Harry smirked as he non-verbally summoned his Firebolt to him, "Well, I am sure we'll both think of something. First, we must see who wins. However, I am not holding my breath. You haven't ever beaten me yet, and the only one who has is dead now."

Harry walked off with them and lead them outdoors; broom in hand now, "A lot of the newer aspects to the manor were only built in the last several generations. The training facility was added by my great-grandfather when Grindelwald was reaching new heights with his power before Albus defeated him and then my grandfather continued its upkeep until he fell and you rose to power for the first war. My dad expanded it before his death as the magical advancements came. The outdoor pool and spa area was added by my father and mother before they were forced into hiding."

Harry smiled sadly, "From what I have read of the house's documents; they began the construction from when they were merely engaged and still in school. Then after graduation, my mother had to convince my father to even finish the repairs and updates. I believe he did not wish to return here and to remember his own parents before their deaths in the house."

Draco nodded and Tom was respectfully silent before Draco's eyes widened, "Oh crap, my broom is still at home. I'll meet you back here in a few minutes."

Harry smirked as he watched Draco run off and then looked to Tom amusedly, "I wondered when he was going to realize that."

Tom smiled, "I must say, I didn't quite know what to expect when I came here today. An alliance between you and I was not something I had figured possible. Not so late in the game as it were, anyhow."

Harry nodded, "Neither did I until after I was betrayed and learned of some things from my heritage. At first, all I felt like doing was simply not caring and allowing them to do as they wished."

Tom eyed him now in concern, "You would have let them kill you without out a fight? That does not seem like the Harry Potter I know, and I know him to be a fighter and a survivor. Someone who garnered my respect for it even if I would not have acknowledged it then."

Harry smiled to those words; how very true they were, "Yes, but the war was taking its own toll on me in ways others did not understand or expect. I never asked to be a part of it. There were times I wished to just give up if only to see my mom and dad again. Then, after my inheritance, I was angry and furious. I had to force myself to think logically and to determine what was best for me and not simply the wizard world."

"When I first found out the prophecy was fulfilled; I felt used and accused Albus of using me for his agenda. We yelled and argued back and forth. I became enraged and my magic shattered many of the trinkets he keeps in his office as well as destroyed it for the second time."

"I finally left and was forced back to my abusive relatives when the year ended. It was my uncle who nearly killed me this summer; if on accident. He had been drinking heavier and beat me around more, but one night…he nearly went and over did it. The Order came to get me…at first, I was relieved. Until Mad-Eye bound my magic and my body. My inheritance was only a week off at the time, so I couldn't even fight back. I learned the truth of the prophecy in a very strange dream sometime mid-way through the second term."

"My innate magic healed me and I fled from there. Not knowing where to go, I finally ended up at Gringotts; where the head of my accounts told me of the instability of my estate due to Albus over his years of being my guardian. They made an exception for me to come here after they learned I had fled from abuse that my magic healed."

Harry eyed the sky as if he was seeing through it, "Many more atrocities followed me by them after this until I came here. The wards protected me; I was of their blood. I used this time to heal, to grow stronger physically, emotionally, mentally. I became what they would fear I would. Then my magic surged a second time and nearly killed me. In my panic over why it was happening; I accidentally apparated beyond the wards of the house and I was alone and too weak to apparate back."

"Much less make a port-key, summon my broom, or Merlin forbid; to walk the ungodly amount of miles back to the mansion I was from it. If Mipsy had not sensed I was distressed and came without my summons at the behest of another friend who was there at the time…I would have died as the Order had been hunting me for months. They kept getting closer at closing in on me and my whereabouts. It was simply a matter of time whenever I exited the wards."

Tom was about to question something else when Draco reappeared and looked slightly out of breath.

"Sorry, my mother tried to get me to stay and help her with some task that would have taken me hours to do."

Harry nodded, "Well, the pitch is just a bit further."

* * *

The walk to the pitch was then continued in silence though Tom could tell Draco and Harry were rather excited to be going into the air and letting go of some of their tension by challenging another. He wondered if Draco was trying to use this as a means for him to become closer to Harry than he had been before.

Tom did not say anything, but he had to wonder exactly in what manner the blonde heir of his long-time friend wished to be to Harry, and the thought of Draco using this as such for him to gain a hold over Harry in a more intimate way made his skin crawl. He had done many horrible and atrocious actions; ones that he could regret if he had had more emotional spans, but honestly he did not know why this bothered him as it did.

As he continued to watch the two and their challenges, it became apparent why Harry was unchallenged in the air. Not because his broom was still one of the best in the world. He was just a natural when it came to flying and he let his instincts guide him. Instincts that had yet to fail him on several levels.

For the next couple of hours, the two continued to battle it out and Harry proved more than a simple obstacle for the blonde who had chosen to seek out his skills to pit himself against. Tom wondered if Harry would want to try and duel with him? He was rather fascinated in finding out if the boy could truly hold his own against him.

After another hour or so, Harry called their games to end and smirked to Draco; who looked rather sulky at having been so systematically trounced at his favored sport. Tom smiled and his gaze was rather proud if one were to look closely enough.

"I believe Draco that I have a reward to think up. I'll let you know once I do. You can be sure that it will be one we can both live with. This time; at least." Harry smiled to him before he sighed with a cunning smirk, "Next time, if there is one; I might not be so amenable."

Draco merely raised a brow in question as Tom wondered what he meant by that.

"Now, the best way to relax sore muscles after so many hours of airtime is by soaking them in a warm tub. We can either head inside or we can go over to the pool and use the spa?" He asked them

Tom saw the gleam to the blonde and knew almost immediately what his answer was.

"I wouldn't mind the spa; Father doesn't want to remodel the manor to add such things to it…even if they benefit more than simply ourselves." Draco said slowly, "However, is the spa area covered with weather wards to prevent inclement weather?"

Harry nodded as Tom internally scowled to this.

"Yes, there are wards to prevent all kinds of inclement weather from touching the area. They cover the pitch somewhat too and most of the grounds. Exceptions would be severe natural disasters and the heavy winter blizzards to an extent."

"So, we are agreed then?" He asked questioningly towards Tom

The dark lord nodded, "If you want to do this, it is your home. We may be your guests, but we cannot monopolize your time."

Harry smirked as he waved them to follow and they started to walk, "Funny. Considering you are a dark lord whose followers that bear your mark must drop whatever they are doing when called and come to you. Not monopolizing at all?"

Tom's gaze was smug now, "They know their places. I have given them as much as they have given me over the years."

Draco was silent now and seemed uncomfortable with this discussion though Harry did not. The blonde assumed he may be the only one who would ever be so at ease and secure in their abilities to banter with the dark lord like he was except perhaps Dumbledore; had the old man still been alive.

Harry smiled, "I suppose so. Tell me something, when you first began your war to reconstruct our world…what was your vision for it? Do you even recall what it was?"

Draco was keenly as interested in this as Harry, Tom noted. He did not wish to give his future followers more ammunition to rebel though and considered what was harmless to mention.

"I do recall what I originally set out to do, but as of this moment; I am still trying to rebuild some things within our faction that was lost during my years of insanity. I admit I went a bit too far and overestimated my limits when I chose to delve so deeply into the dark arts as I did. I was arrogant and overconfident in my abilities."

Tom continued to walk beside Harry easily as Draco walk a bit further behind them now in case a fight should explode.

"One thing, above all else that needs to stay with my agenda is to reincorporate the dark arts and study of dark magic into the community."

"Witches and wizards have a core that has a balance to it. As much as we need light magic; we need the darker aspects to understand the necessity of light and vice versa. To live in a world where only one-half of the balance is taught and used…we do all a disservice."

"I too have been blind in some regard to this. The method I used to ensure my existence stripped me of emotions. A thing I thought would be helpful at first. I had no desire to form any semblance of ties to most of my followers and thought it the best course of action because without them I might see my objectives with an unbiased view."

Tom's gaze then seemed to harden as Harry listened without judgment and Draco remained silent in knowing that any remark from him might earn a curse his way.

"That thought was decimated after I lost myself for the last fourteen years. I was still able to have a semblance of emotion, but most of them were locked away and after you had been born and were prophesized to vanquish me…I had become…obsessed with eliminating the threat you posed to my objectives and from there; once I cast the Avada to you…madness and rage formed in an all-consuming cloud within me. Insanity urged me to rule all at any cost to myself."

Tom paused as Harry listened with open ears and heard what was lingering between them without needing to be said. Tom was grateful Harry internally knew of what he was trying to convey and even more thankful for not needing to explain further with Draco there.

"Back to our original topic; the cores of all magical children are being stunted in their developmental growth and are not becoming as potentially gifted as they could be. Adults whose professions need the study of darker magic, such as aurors and the unspeakables; they are only allowed what the Ministry deems appropriate and that could prove fatal to them all."

"It already has. Numerous aurors died during Grindelwald's war and many more now with my own. Your own great-grandfather died as an auror in Grindelwald's time; if I recall correctly. James Potter, your father, he too was an auror and he was killed by my hand."

Harry was silent now as he considered these things. Some he had suspected, but not all of it.

Harry then smiled wryly and seemed a bit sad, "You know, I never really before questioned why the dark was fighting or what they fought for; I simply accepted that they did. Now, I have a clearer understanding of the how's and why's. I see what you are trying to do, and on many levels; I agree."

The younger of the two powerful wizards then paused his speech and gave the impression that he was wary of how his next train of thought would be taken.

"However, there are some points I do not see as useful. Tom, do you truly wish to eradicate all of the muggle-borns?" Harry asked cautiously, "I know this will seem odd; especially considering I have a newfound dislike for a lot of them, but we do need their blood as much as we need the remainder of the old families?"

Draco's face scrunched at this; not sure if he liked this thought and or agreed with it, but he was intrigued as to why Harry asked of this in particular. So, he observed them as he remained quiet whilst Tom wondered what this was about.

Harry endeavored to elaborate, "The old families continue to intermarry the other even now in this modern age. This dilutes the bloodlines and makes their ties to magic weaker on top of the fact that most of the more traditional purebloods only ever sire one heir per generation. By the low birth rate among the purebloods and then marrying into lineages that are mixing with so many others over and over; you are inbreeding yourselves into extinction."

"Intermarriage among the purebloods is why we have people like Crabbe and Goyle, pardon me for saying this so bluntly; but, they are wizards who are barely capable of the simplest spells and would have been better off being born as muggles or squibs. From what little I have seen of their fathers, the same could be said for them just as easily as their sons that I am unfortunately acquainted with."

"Adversely, there are muggle-born magical people who are being born who are twice as powerful as some of the purebloods nowadays. Notably, my former friend Hermione Granger and former Hufflepuff Sally-Ann Perks."

"I do not think eradicating them all will help us ingratiate our agenda to the community. I am not and will not tell you that some of them will need to die; because this is a war, and those too weak-willed to see what we are doing and to fight us will ultimately pay a price for it. However, we are a small number of people compared to the muggle world. In order to protect magic and our way of life…do you not think it wise to salvage as many who can be and are strong enough to stand on their own?" Harry asked

Tom considered this point and saw where Harry was coming from and indeed; it did set an ill precedent for them if the muggles ever truly found out of their world and decided to try and take control of it or to annihilate it.

"I can see where you are headed with this, and I do agree to some extent on the danger it poses us. However, how do plan to…avert disaster?"

Draco raised a brow and wondered why Tom had given in so easily to Harry's inquisition of remarks to his methods in past.

Harry sighed, "It won't be easy. First and foremost, the remnants of Albus's Order and any other allies to them must either capitulate and join us openly, capitulate and become neutral with a vow of non-violence, or they will need to die before we take any real action against the Ministry. This is so they can no longer interfere with things that Albus and the others should never have meddled in to begin with. That will take time; especially since I suspect I will eventually be exposed to aligning with you and that will not initially help."

"Once we are free to move against the Ministry of Magic without too much impediment from others, I would like to ultimately reorganize the departments to be more efficient. As well as perhaps add some new ones for certain things. Then once we have done this and established you or whomever you choose to sit in the Minister's position…we begin the trials of gaining momentum for reviewing and changing our laws that are in effect."

Tom was rather impressed with how well thought out this was. According to Severus, Harry was not so methodical or strategic. Harry continued to explain his vision for the community as he opened the gate to the pool area and they entered.

Harry then smiled as he relaxed some, "I would explain more in detail, but for now I think we need to get away from such heavy thoughts."

He then waved a hand over himself and where robes had been, he was now dressed in nothing but a pair of swim trunks. He smirked and then ran to the edge of the pool before diving in and leaving the two others standing frozen in shock.

As he resurfaced, he glanced at them and wondered what was wrong exactly. Tom seemed stiff and uncomfortable now while Draco was cautious and wary of the pool. Not to mention neither were dressed for a swim...

"Oh crap, forgot." Harry muttered to himself, "If you both want to join me then you'll either need to transfigure your clothes or head to that little room over there. It's a sort of…changing area. Usually for when we would have had a lot of guests. The left side is the men's one and there is a closet with towels and spare sets of swim trunks. Don't worry, the elves wash them after every use, so they are clean."

Harry waited and watched to see what they would do. He was interested. Draco finally sighed and left to go to the changing area while Tom remained standing there and unsure of what to do. Harry seemed to know he was uncomfortable, so he decided to give him a prod. In a very Harry sort-of way.

"Oi Tom, are you going to stand there all day baking or are you going to join us?" Harry asked with a secret smile, "Or are you afraid?"

Tom scowled now, "I am not afraid of swimming."

Harry raised a brow, "Really? Then what is the matter? Are you uncomfortable at being so exposed to us? You know, I am as easily as vulnerable?"

Tom shook his head and Harry was now getting very frustrated and intrigued, "Then what is the problem exactly? I can't imagine your body is out of shape; you do enough fighting to keep it nicely formed. Of course, that may be due to the ritual you used to get your younger self back, but still."

Tom then walked to edge of the pool with a smirk, "Been noticing me, have you?"

Harry then eyed him warily, "Perhaps, but even if I did; I do not force my presence on anyone unwillingly. We have much to reconcile and while I may allow us to get closer; it remains to be seen how closely I will consent to let you or anyone else for that matter get to me."

Tom watched as Harry swam slowly backwards a slight distance and then waited. The boy was so tempting like this. His magic was licking at his and drawing closer; he wanted this, but knew now was not the appropriate time.

His red eyes were observant and noticed how skittish the boy was still underneath his scrutiny. Tom then smiled and simply waved a hand as Harry did before. Harry gasped as Tom simply dove in and then resurfaced easily.

A smirk then appeared as Tom relaxed some while leaning on a wall of the pool, "I haven't done anything like this in a very long time. In some ways, it is odd and feels out of place with me and my persona. But on the other side of that, I feel reinvigorated at being able to do something so…normal for once."

Harry smiled, "Yes, something so simple as a swim. Honestly, I have a hard time reconciling the fact that a dark lord is now swimming in a pool."

Tom smiled, "I am sure most of my followers would die of shock if they saw it. To do something so mundane and…technically, muggle. It is to them, unthinkable. However, I do find that there are certain muggle activities and luxuries I could live with. I would not want too many of them of course, but I could adapt to some if they could be enhanced with magic."

"Electronics and magic usually do not go well together. It takes a lot of time, research and effort to get magic and muggle technology to work together cohesively and without continual malfunctions." Tom reminded him

Harry smiled slightly with a nod and then eyed the changing area and sighed, "Wonder what is keeping Malfoy?"

Tom shrugged, "Probably something we don't consider very important; like his appearance in the swimming trunks. You've probably noticed in the last seven years or so that the Malfoy men tend to be…very vain when in concern to their physical appearance."

Harry smirked, "Yes, that does sound like the Malfoy I know. Vain and utterly arrogant. Of course, one does have to appreciate the good genetics that the Malfoy line has, even with the many years of intermarriage. I mean seriously, you cannot sit there and tell me that you do not think certain followers of yours would be absolutely eatable in swimwear?"

Tom raised a brow as a smirk then formed on his lips in a thin line, "Anyone in particular you have in mind there, Harry?"

Harry considered, "Well obviously, otherwise I would not have said it."

Tom scowled, "That wasn't exactly the answer I had in mind."

"I know." Harry smirked, "Don't want to ruin the day with talking of my very out-there imagination. I know that I can tend to be overwhelming when I talk of certain topics."

Tom sighed before he wanly smiled, "So tell me, what was it that made you ultimately decide to try and ally with me after all this time? I have tried in past to garner your allegiance?"

Harry then sobered, "My magical orientation is dark now, I feel more comfortable in my own skin by being who I should have been from the beginning and I no longer hold as many reserves about the use of dark magic or the keeping of the old practices now that I understand more about them."

"I feel the raw energy and it gives me utmost pleasure to do so. Before the betrayal, I was training to destroy you. During my sixth year at the school, Albus had given me memories he had somehow acquired from others of your past to help me understand you and how you became what you were, so to speak."

"As I mentioned, these memories were of you and your related and not-so related to the memories he had me collect from Horace. It was these reflections of events that allowed me to sympathize with you as your younger self. I understood your desire to prove that you were better than those simple muggles. I was able to commiserate with the memory of you when you were forced to go back to a place you never considered home." Harry said darkly as his eyes glowed now with anger, "I never considered my mother's sister's house as a home. I do not think I ever will at this point and besides; I am well past the point of trying to reconcile with that filth."

Tom was concerned in the anger he saw, "Did they abuse you?"

Harry eyed him a moment then snorted, "Depends on what one considers abuse. To most people or wizards, what I endured there was hell on earth and would most definitely be considered abusive behavior."

"I was their human house-elf, and I did nearly all the household maintenance there. In return, I received very little food and next to no attention. They never tried to be secondary parents to me and I gave up trying to make them embrace me early on. Occasionally, they would hit me for something I may have or might not have done. My cousin typically tried his utmost to continually see that I suffered. Year later, it got worse and worse, but thankfully never resulted in anything remotely considered as sexual abuse."

Harry hesitated, "Can I ask you something that may be rather personal?"

Tom tensed but nodded as Harry bit his lip, "Do you ever feel the anger from all those years at the orphanage still? Does that intense need to make those who hurt you bleed and suffer ever go away?"

Harry floated some as his eyes became distant, "I wanted them to hurt, to bleed, to scream in agony. I wanted to burn them, flay them, rend flesh from bone and tear into their organs. I wanted to manipulate their mind and show them how it feels to be the one who is neglected. I wanted all of this, but yet; I could not make myself go through with it."

Tom didn't know what to say, "Do you know why?"

Harry grimaced and nodded, "Because as much as I loathe my relatives…they're all I have left in this world as blood ties. Blood ties are a very strong sort-of bond and can be used for good or for ill. My mom sacrificed her life for my own; thus using her tie to me as a mother for good, and begrudgingly; Petunia did take me in and shelter me. Even if I was considered unwanted. Albus never gave them a choice of whether or not they wanted such a responsibility. He left me on the doorstep in a charmed blanket with the letter he wrote."

Harry's gaze then hardened, "I would have killed Vernon for his attempt at killing me. But, I was too wounded from his rage and his fists. He had already used knives and other assorted items, so finally he thought his fists hitting hard enough to knock me out and let me bleed to death was enough to finish me. My magic would not have allowed it nor did it."

"Internally; I knew that Petunia isn't capable of working a job to support herself or her son with after so many years of relying on him for their income. What skills she had before to do so with were now aged and rotten; they would not have aided her. While they may have deserved to be punished like so, I was not fit enough to bring it about."

Tom eyed him cautiously before he too looked distantly at the water, "It does get easier so long as you do not let the anger consume you. I did and it led me to the creation of my first horcrux. My father who abandoned me and his parents who had neglected my very existence; their deaths powered my first soul-container."

"There are days where something may trigger a flashback and it will be harder to control the emotions within, but they do say that time heals all wounds."

Harry nodded silently to this, "If I ever decide I want to see them dead for what Vernon did earlier this summer as they stood by and simply ignored it…would you like to accompany me? They don't believe you are back either and oftentimes I was beat for lying; trying to scare them to leave me alone."

Tom smirked now, "I'll consider it."

Harry then climbed over the edge and turned back, "I am going to fetch blondie."

Tom smirked wider at the nickname for Draco that Harry had just given him. He was sure that Draco would not appreciate it. He watched the young man stride over to where they had last seen the Malfoy heir go and then disappear. He was gone for merely a moment before he returned with a smirk of his own again.

Tom raised a brow, "Where's Draco?"

Harry smirk broadened, "Our blondie has decided he was too much of a chicken instead of a snake. He apparated home from what I can tell."

Harry slid back into the water and shivered slightly to adjust before he smiled. Tom seemed content now to know he was alone with Harry and they could speak openly without worries of extra ears.

Tom smirked, "I am going to take what you said earlier and assume that sometime ago you and your overactive imagination was picturing what Lucius would look like in swimwear. I honestly cannot see you wanting to picture Draco that way; you and he seem more of brothers/rivals than…fabricated and star-crossed lovers."

Harry sputtered as red appeared from his ears to his neck. Tom waded over to the boy and Harry tensed as he drew close but did not outright move away.

Tom eyed him as a sultry smile appeared to his visage, "So, does the world even know that their savior prefers the male side of the spectrum?"

Harry then rolled his eyes and snorted, "What rock have you been living under? Of course they do by now; it was a whole explosion when it was found out. None of my former friends even knew of my inclination. As far as they were aware, I was perfectly straight and in denial about whether or not to ask Ginny out as my girlfriend."

"I cannot imagine that some were pleased when this came about?" Tom said gently now

Harry snorted again, "Nope. Albus tried to manipulate me in to thinking it was a phase before he died. Funny, considering he too bends the same way, but does not act on it. When it became apparent that it was not and that since I no longer had to hide; some others were eager to try and force me in to a role I did not want. Albus condoned the actions to a point, but the real hurt came after Albus had kicked the bucket and new leadership had taken over for the Order of the Phoenix."

"Part of my falling out with my friends is because they tried to use Amortentia on me. They wanted me to believe I was in love with Ginny. Long enough to ensure I married her and she had at least one child born of me and her before I was supposed to sacrifice myself in the war. Thus handing my estate to her in my will. This meant that Albus was practically guaranteed access through her had he lived."

Tom scowled, "The knowledge of that potion should be eradicated."

Harry looked to him a moment before softly smiling, "Maybe. But then all those who yearn for forbidden knowledge would want to seek it out. It would be next to impossible to convince all the foreign Ministries to…erase such an excellent piece of magical potions work."

Tom scowled more, "Even so, it would be better for the world if that despicable liquid of doom just vanished into thin air and was never seen, heard or read about ever again."

Harry smiled, "I agree, but the world does not simply obey just us."

Tom's gaze then softened, "No. It doesn't, does it? As much as I would like to believe I could make it so."

Harry then went to the ledge and climbed out as he summoned a towel to him, "Come on, lunch will be done soon. We can stay out here if you want to, but I tend to prefer to keep my food further away from the edge of the water."

Tom followed Harry out as he seconded the towel summoning and waited to see what the boy was going to do. He was slightly disappointed in that Harry merely went to a semi-large table with an umbrella and sat down.

Though, he had to admit that the boy did look happier and more relaxed than he had ever heard or witnessed before. They sat and ate an enjoyable summer lunch and talked about many things concerning the matters of the corruption in their world and how to restore order.

Harry knew that he could get used to this more logical side of the dark lord. He was aware that the man would likely only ever allow him to see him as so carefree. They knew the other better than his followers or Harry's former friends knew them respectively. He would wait and see what came from this alliance, but for now… he was enjoying his new freedom and the company he spent it with.


	3. Chapter 3: Tentative Hesitance

**Chapter III:** _Tentative Hesitance_

It had been a little over a week now since Harry had reached out to the Malfoy patriarch by owl to hopefully get his request to his intended recipient. He had not been hopeful that the letter would be received instead of simply burned or ignored. Fortunately, Harry was thankful that Lucius appeared more cautious with his potential mail items and their written contents due to his knowledge of the older practices despite whom the letter was penned by. More cautious, he believed, than many of the other followers Tom had among his circle and how they would likely have reacted to such a situation.

Harry sat before the rainy bay Victorian windows and watched the dark clouds billow and furl in anger as the lightning tore across the sky. The drops of rain like bullets to a metal sheet and the wind like an old banshee calling out in the night. He shivered slightly at the summer cold from the inclement weather and the foreboding feeling within the air. Something was not right; he felt it in the magic around him and in his very bones. He did not yet know what to make of the feelings, but whatever he did know…it was that this sensation was not good and would bring about no good fortune for him.

It was as he sipped his tea that Tom apparated in unannounced. Harry had only recently added him to the wards and the young man immediately noticed that he was drenched in what appeared to be his own blood. He gasped to the sight and sat the cup down as he darted forward and checked the older wizard for injuries of a severe nature. Harry could already tell the man had been rendered unconscious due to blood loss and his use of apparition as he swore under his breath. He didn't have what he needed to do healing here and Tom was quickly fading.

"Mipsy, I need your assistance." He called out and the female elf appeared and then she seemed in shock to see the dark master so…wounded.

"He is unconscious, severely wounded, and getting worse by the minute but he is alive and still stable. Prepare a room so I may do emergency healing on him and perhaps surgery depending on what I find in diagnosis to his current state. Run a warm bath with the tub about half-full; I'll need to wash the wounds out to disinfect them as I do not believe using magic directly would be a good idea right now. Do not run the water too hot. Have some healing oils added and make sure his food has enough nutrients to sustain a stable iron level. He lost a lot of blood and I do not have spare blood-replenishing potions at the moment."

"After the room is made, tell me and I will move him and attend to his wounds there while you attempt to get his blood out of the carpet. I know this is inconvenient due to our guests that will likely be arriving later and very soon, but…" Harry trailed

Mipsy nodded, "I know you is wanting to see to his welfare, Master. There is no need to fret. I will do as asked and then ensure to see to his care if you cannot. While Mipsy is…wary of the young master's decision and this alliance between the dark and youself; it is not my place to question. I only know that yous seem happier now, and if the dark master and his side bring this for you, then Mipsy will be fine. The Peverell blood is strong in you and you could have been happy with either side had people allowed it so. But you are quite more powerful than the last few generations and others are...wary and afraid of what that is to mean."

Harry nodded as he then carefully removed Tom's outer robes and a satin or perhaps silk dress shirt underneath. The wounds to his shoulders were the worst ones he could plainly see to his upper body, but at least treatable and not as badly torn as he had suspected by the first glance. He had several broken ribs; the muscles surrounding them also lightly torn due to strain, and his right hand was shattered completely.

' _At least it wasn't his wand hand.'_ Harry thought to himself _, 'Otherwise, he may have lost his magic and the ability to cast it. I doubt he could live with himself like that. I fear what he would do to himself if he knew he was no longer able to cast magic. Luckily, despite the shattered hand's state; I should be able to re-form it and make it usable once again. It will take time to heal though, and Tom has limited patience. I will need to make sure he understands the severity of his injuries and why such prolonged recuperation is necessary'_

Harry then wandlessly conjured a pale blue glow to his hands and carefully applied pressure to the open wounds to his left upper method he was using was only done in extreme circumstances or by someone very powerful who could afford the taxation of the magic from their core and had the skill necessary to even do this. Harry internally agreed that in this case; it was both. He concentrated fully on closing it and sealing it while mending bones, muscles, nerves and anything that could have been damaged and replacing it with new and undamaged parts while restoring them to the proper place it was meant to be as he extracted the damaged ones and placed them off to the side to be looked at later. There was strange magic on Tom that he wanted to observe and study.

He did not have much time to work on it as Mipsy came back momentarily and informed him of the prepared bedroom and bath as she vanished to gather supplies to clean the floor up with before his guests came. Harry conjured a stretcher in one hand as the other levitated Tom onto it and then made the stretcher float beside him as he continually used his magic to keep him from bleeding out more.

The walk to the upper levels was slow and Harry was having a hard time keeping his magic in an unremitting current. He was powerful; more so than most nowadays, but Tom was still the Dark Lord, and as such...he was powerful in his own right and needed more magic to heal than many would realize. His verdant eyes were concerned by the heaviness of his injuries and how obstinate they were in trying to mend. The strange magic seemed to be impeding his healing of the man. He knew of few people who could've even come close to damaging Tom this much and whoever had managed it had definitely used dark magic that both he and Tom were not familiar to.

His eyes hardened; whoever had done this…they had done it in order to try and finish him off or to capture and contain him. He vowed to hunt down the bastards if Tom so much as wished for him to. He would not be able to leave after this for some time. His recuperation was a priority.

Once in the room, he managed to levitate the stretcher onto the bed and then vanished Tom's remaining garments to inspect him for further injury. Harry knew Tom may take this as an invasion to his privacy once he had realized what Harry had done, but he would be damned if he let him die now like this.

Harry clinical and scrutinizing gaze hardened the more he saw of what had been done. His legs had been burned; nearly charred to bone in places, and skin was peeling in a very spotty pattern but it was not from the fire damage. His gaze narrowed; this was dark magic certainly and a curse no less. Something was very wrong. He gently reached out to try and feel of the burnt flesh, but pulled back as if bit when his skin sizzled like crackling embers.

Harry swore; he had an idea now of what Tom was hit with, but it should be impossible. So, he placed a stasis over Tom as he then heavily went about warding the room to protect him here. Mipsy and he were the only ones allowed in unless he allowed another to enter. He then left to go down to his study and look for a very old tome. One that would be sought for extravagant prices to dark book collectors had they known of it. One that was now invaluable and priceless beyond measure to the Peverell name that he bore with pride.

Once there, he eyed the shelves of books left here to him after generations of disuse by his ancestors and pulled the familiar dark blue cover gently; one that he knew would help him solve this mess. Harry then sat down heavily as he flipped through the content table and found his page. It was only minutes before Harry breathed heavily as his eyes closed in resignation before a determined look passed his visage.

"I knew it." He said darkly, "Whoever did this to him is versed well in dark magic. As much as either myself or Tom too and there are only a few I can think of directly who would desire to harm him this seriously and be able to do this sort-of damage to him personally. At least, in the human terms. If it was one of the magical races; there would be more foes than I could ever hope to rule out. If they come here from another...'place'...I don't know why they would want to harm him other than they crossed paths accidentally and immediately attacked due to feeling threatened."

"At least among the human wizarding society there are few beings who would even know of this sort-of dark magic. The magical races and all their brethren are another story entirely, but I will consider that when I have to and deliberate which races would be most apt to benefit from Tom's demise. If the person, or people, who did this came from other place or dimension; I need to find them and to ascertain why they are here and why they attacked." He muttered under his breath, "In order to break the curse though, I need to gather some things and I cannot do this now because of our guests that are coming."

Mipsy popped in and Harry eyed her, "Yes Mipsy, what is it?"

The elf bowed low, "Master, the floor has been suitably cleansed. I have also informed Lana of our patient's dietary needs. Lana assures me she will make sure he recovers."

Harry nodded, "Good, except I found Tom has been cursed badly on top of his wounds. I put him in a stasis for now, but due to what type of dark magic it is, it will not hold for forever. I'll need to gather some things to break the curse. Our guests today cannot and will not be able to enter the room. Mipsy, you will stay with him while I…entertain our unwelcome friends."

Harry stood as his eyes darkened, "I have to gather the ingredients myself or the spell will not be lifted. You shall stay with him while I attend to other matters. If Death visits; tell the spirit that he cannot allow Tom to see him. Riddle has no idea of my...connection to the spirit other than what is mentioned in the legends of the Peverell name. I do not wish to have unneeded accidents; though, I doubt Tom will even wake right now. He is...for lack of better terms, dying. He will die if I cannot gather what I need to lift the curse."

Harry and his head elf then felt the pops of apparition in the foyer and he scowled as he then blanked his looks, "Looks like it's time to go and see what they want. This will be the last time I allow them to apparate here as they please. They were warned to stay away, and now they have decided to be stupid."

Mipsy's large blue eyes watched in concern for her master, "Tread carefully young master, or all is lost." She whispered to herself

* * *

Harry came down the stairs and his shoulders were tall and proud while his expression was neutral and rather blank. His magic was circling him powerfully and his guests eyed him warily. He was dressed as any pure-blood would when hosting someone in their home and he watched a moment to see if they reacted.

 _'Nothing.'_ He noted to himself _, 'Though they all seem very wary of my magic. Good, they should be after what they did to me and what I warned them about if they sought me again like this.'_

"Why have you come here?" He asked of them all sharply, "I believe that after you betrayed me and left me to rot in hell at the hands of my abusive relatives; I told you that if you dared to come after me that I would kill you all."

His voice was clear, firm and very sharp though not containing any form of malice or coldness. That seemed to unnerve them more as he smirked mentally.

Ginny cautiously stepped forward, "Please Harry, you must understand…what could we do against whatever Albus wanted? Even if we all fought and argued to whatever he wanted of us; Albus would have just eventually wiped out our memory as much as needed and then manipulated us anyhow."

Harry scowled, "Not another excuse? I am tired of waiting to be led to my death by someone who believes he knows what is best for the world. He is not, and was not a god, and I will not sacrifice my life for a war that I never chose to be a part of. Albus very well knew that I was a risky bet to use as his pawn and now he has made it so I will never be so. If he wants a war; he'll now have it from three sides. Me, the dark lord and the Ministry. Let him see me as a threat and come; I'll be ready for that day and I will expose his lies to the world. No matter that Albus will no longer be leading the fight for the survival of his Order."

"His image will shatter and then none will have the courage to stand beside his former compatriots as an ally. That will be a good day for me."

Ginny then held anger to her gaze, "You may not have chosen to fight, but the dark lord made the decision to target you. You would have our world crumble simply because you want to be selfish."

Harry sneered at her, "It's all it deserves. You and your family may have sheltered me, but you also stole from me and my family's heritage. You intended to bind me under Amortentia; even knowing what it does? What it made of Tom Riddle and how he turned out?"

Ginny then bowed her head and looked guilty as Harry sneered in disgust to it.

"Hermione is no better; her blind belief that adults know best and that books are the ultimate source of knowledge is both dangerous and not smart. Books can lie as any human; it depends on whom has written them and how much research went into it. Authority figures can be bad as much as honorable and good. People can seem light and good, but be dark and horrible underneath all the light most see."

"I had to learn to survive on my own. I had to learn how to be street smart as well as educated from books and people. I never fully showed how intelligent I was; I do not trust anyone now, and I certainly did not trust the headmaster before either. What has the wizard world done to help me? The Minister would have expelled me several years ago and rendered me unable to fight the dark lord in his denial to my claim of his return; even when I brought a dead classmate who disappeared with me back and my wand was clear of the killing curse."

"The media praises me one moment and then the next I am a pariah or an attention-seeking child who desires to relight the kindling of fame." Harry glared, "I should not have to save a world who does nothing to remember that I did save them once before. A world who has forgotten that they are too cowardly to fight for themselves and lets a child; an innocent babe take the brunt of their burdens."

"Burdens no child should ever bear." Harry's eyes blazed as Ginny became scared due to Harry's magic picking up and becoming tangible in his rage, "And what was the child's reward for saving them all? A life of misery for the next eleven years; unwanted by those who were his own family by blood and neglected."

"Beaten, starved, constantly told he was worthless and would never amount to anything in his life. A child who was told his parents never wanted him and had been no more than common street whores for all he knew. This babe had done no wrong to them and yet was struck and bruised for simply crying out in scared whimpers for remembering the night he banished evil."

Ginny's eyes watered as her hands shook in obvious pain to his remembrance of suffering, "I know it hurts Harry, and I cannot imagine the torment you've gone through at their hands…but please, reconsider what you're doing."

Hermione stepped forward, "I have no right to ask for forgiveness of you and I do not expect I shall ever receive it. I would not ask of you to trust me after I betrayed you, but please; magic must survive, and you are the only person it has to ensure to us that it does."

Ron nodded silently as he observed and then Harry snorted derisively as they all gazed to him with hesitance, "Shows you what you lot know."

Hermione scowled, "And how's that?"

Harry smirked now as his eyes glowed with raw magic, "The prophecy of me and the dark lord is void. It has been for nearly sixteen years. I have confirmed it; though, I shall not tell you how since I know you three will eventually allow the remnants of the Order of the Phoenix to find out what I said today."

"He and I, the dark lord and myself; we are both immortal as Albus feared we would be should I survive his assault. The headmaster should have known better than to try and use a descendant to the Peverells as his sacrifice for his agenda. He has pushed me away and alienated me. The rest of the Order blindly followed him like good little dogs and it sickens me to think of what they might do if Albus had said it was necessary for 'the greater good'."

"I have no desire to serve his purposes as a means to an end for his political game in Wizarding Britain, nor to to do as the Order wants me to do as a reminder to what Albus desired me to do in his remembrance. It would be an end that will not ever come; for I cannot die a natural death now unless I choose to. For now that the prophecy is found to be truly voided…we cannot actually kill the other..." Harry stated softly, "Lord Voldemort and I both cannot kill the other; not anymore."

Hermione eyed him, "Then would you join him? To purge the world of those he believes to be of unclean blood and are unfit to live and to behold the power of magic?"

Harry knew he had to tread carefully now as he snorted again in amusement for them all, "Hermione please use your head for a moment, would you? Why would I want to help a raving lunatic who murdered my parents and nearly all of my clan? For revenge against those who wronged me? That would be foolish. I would be outnumbered twenty to one and it would not be beneficial in any way to me to try."

"Besides, I have larger concerns now than the dark lord." He said coldly

Hermione seemed more reassured than before but her eyes were suspicious.

"But you do have a dark orientation now, and from what we were told; you have the knowledge of the Peverells in you from your inheritance. Knowledge of both light and dark? Knowledge that many would give their soul for as it has not been used for ages beyond counting?"

Harry smiled now softly although his gaze was on the fire in the fireplace, "True. I do have that knowledge and yes, I am dark oriented now. But dark does not necessarily mean evil, does it?"

Ginny frowned now, "No, but usually they go hand-in-hand with the other."

Harry scowled now, "By whose opinion on that exactly, because I know it is not a fact. Just as I now have the knowledge of the dark arts to rival any dark lord; I also have knowledge of healing magic that most have not used nor seen cast in many centuries. No one from the Order even bothered to consider that. All they saw was a dark orientation, so now Harry must be going dark and be contained."

His eyes darkened, "I cannot forgive them for it. Nor for what they did. I cannot forgive you for abandoning me this time and for betraying my trust. You are not welcome here any longer, so I suggest you leave before the Order has three disappeared members. You are all very fortunate that I have much more serious matters to attend to and that I am being generous with my hospitality."

Harry snapped his fingers and a house-elf appeared as she bowed low in greeting while Hermione pursed her lips in disapproval. He gave her no indication he had seen her gesture, nor did he care to.

"Mipsy, show them out and ensure that they do not try to enter from another way. I need to get back to my patient upstairs. His wounds were grave and the stasis will not hold for forever. After you have done this, return to me and stay in the room with us; I may need your assistance."

Mipsy curtsied as he disappeared up the stairs and they watched him go with feelings of dread.

"Please follow Mipsy, and I will show you all to the door." The elf said slowly and gestured to them

The three followed and Hermione was curious, "Harry has an injured person he is tending to? Is there anything he might need help with that we may assist?"

Mipsy frowned and her large eyes narrowed on her, "Young miss, I know you think you are very knowledgeable in many areas; I do not doubt you are. But, Master Harry is well-versed in magic of all kinds now. From all races and from all corners of the world. He will never fear corruption of the taint to dark magic; there is very little you would be able to do."

"Nor would he accept you trying to aid him. He would actually more than likely follow through on his former remarks, and I would be beheaded for treason to his wishes."

Hermione hesitated, "W-Would he really kill us for what we did?"

Mipsy paused and they stopped and noticed the elf's glare.

"Master Harry is well within his right to. He has every right to be furious at all of you for what you did. You endangered him to others who care not for him, but simply what he can do. You endangered the chosen child of magic itself; and for what? Fame, money, false love that would never last, status…the lists continue."

"Beyond this; you all have abused his trust in you. You allowed him to be sent back to those who hurt him physically, emotionally, and much more. You believed that Albus sent him there for a good reason. Tell me Miss Hermione, if you were a mother who sacrificed her life to save her child; would you agree to what Albus has done?"

"You give your life so that your child survives an attack of the darkest kind. So he lives and is able to one day grow-up strong, healthy and balanced. To see him find his own path in life wherever it would take him. Could you condone Albus's actions? To know your child is being hurt physically and emotionally simply to keep him from the followers of a madman who had disbanded in their shock to their master's defeat?"

Mipsy glared, "If you answer that you could see the logic in this; then you do not deserve to ever be a mother. For mothers are supposed to be caring, nurturing and see to it that any child under their care prospers. Petunia Dursley did no such thing. I know that the world has its share of women who do not act as the mother a child needs; so do father's to a child, but no child should ever have to suffer what Master went through. No child should ever suffer worse or fear that they will suffer. Infants have no sense of right and wrong; they cannot be blamed for the actions of the parents. Nor can they be blamed for bearing gifts that they themselves did not choose to inherit."

Hermione's eyes watered now as they widened in shock as had Ginny's own to the elf's blatant words.

"Do not ever come back here; you will not survive if you do. Master Harry gave you all many chances to prove yourselves to him, and you failed to do so. Those chances are dried up, and if you return here; you all will not leave here ever again."

"You may tell your commander of the Order all of what is said today. Master has no intention of hiding his power from the world any longer and he will not wait for much longer to reveal it to the world either. It is a shame you have all chosen to be at odds with him."

Mipsy then vanished as the three were left in the front courtyard and still feeling the foreboding sensation Harry had earlier. They apparated back to the new headquarters for the Order and knew that Alastor was going to be very displeased with the news they had to give.


	4. Chapter 4: A Race Against Time

**Chapter IV:** _A Race Against Time_

It had been three days now and Tom was beginning to fade away and disintegrate. His magic was rising from him and was ever-slowly being drawn back to the earth's ley lines that granted the magic unto its users. Harry was keenly aware that one of his soul-containers would then dissolve and his spirit would be reborn and thus force the reverse flow of magic back to him; but they did not have time for him to utilize resources to gain a corporeal form for a second time in less than a decade.

Harry gaze was hard as he sat beside the man's prone body, "I swear to you Tom; I will not allow whomever did this to you go unpunished and I refuse to allow you to die and need to use another horcrux to live again. By the blood of the Peverells in me; I swear I find a way to heal this and to find who is capable of such actions. I will learn how this is possible and if it could be learned enough to be utilized more effectively for our own goals."

Mipsy had remained by her master as he had mixed potions, elixirs, salves. He had used alchemy to a degree and researched old magic; darker than many would dare to delve. All for the life of the one who had caused him so much misery before the betrayal.

As a house-elf to a noble line and dedicated in her life to serve it; it was not her place to question her master nor the orders he had given to her. Her life and her magic was tied to House Potter, and thus, she relied on Harry for her livelihood. However, Mipsy feared what would become of her master's mind if the dark one died and was unable to rise again quickly. Their souls were interlocked together; no longer in painful manners, but still very much connected.

Not exactly what one would term as soul-mates or life-mates; but, close enough that it could be considered as such by those outside the knowledge of the true nature of the bond.

Harry's eyes were sunken in and tired. His body was exhausted and he barely had eaten in two of the last three days. As he ghosted over a tome written in ancient elven from the elves that lived-in area known as the Shadowharbor; a realm of a parallel existence to theirs, his eyes a lit with new hope and then muttered in parseltongue as he summoned parchment, quill, and ink.

He outlined the ritual described and made several minor but more safe and effective adjustments. He then gathered many ingredients, but frowned when he noticed had all of them but one and that the incantation was not written down either. He turned to the elf as he placed a strong stasis over Tom's body.

"I need to go and collect one more thing for this ritual. I will return in no less than one hour. Please stay and watch over the stasis. After he is restored and his body merely sleeps for rest; run a pool of warm water in the ritual room and then gather several branches of willow and lay them around the pool. After that, gather the dried leaves of Anemone, Blessed Thistle and Anise. Grind them into a very fine powder and sprinkle it into the pool without touching the water."

"This will be ritual that will ward his body and protect him from such magic again for some time. It should also purify whatever dared to try and take him. It may provide other benefits to him as much as it will me in the days to come, but he will need time to adjust. Once he understands what happened to him."

Mipsy nodded as her Master popped out

* * *

Harry knew what he was about to do was very risky; but there was no way to secure his safety now…he would risk it. He had apparated into the woods of his estate and took out a piece of chalk and drew a pentagram summoning space before he then drew a silver dagger and sliced his palm and let the blood of his wound fall unto the middle.

He hissed in pain as a faint blue ripple appeared and he stood and entered it without hesitation. He walked slowly to where the spirit within lay waiting and it watched him hesitantly. Harry's eyes were full of determination and his confident gait has garnered the ire of the demoness who lived there.

She sneered, "You dare open a gateway to my halls so blatantly, mortal?"

Harry green gaze then flared with raw magic to it as his eyes glowed with power and he sneered while he waved a palm without uttering a word to her and the demoness was chained down easily, "Silence demoness! I am no mere mortal, and you will obey me if you value your life."

She glared hatefully, "Why do come here?"

Harry's watched as she thrashed against his magic before he continued to stare at her in disgust, "For all your demonic power, you are weak compared to me. I am the newest Master of Death and I come seeking a way to break a curse from one who is dear to me. Cooperate and I will allow you your freedom again. Deny my questions and perhaps requests, and I will see you never to return into the reincarnation cycle."

The demoness then stilled her rattling of the bindings and looked at him with wariness, "And what curse do you wish to break? There is few that would require one of your blood to need our assistance?"

His eyes then turned solemn and the demoness knew whatever curse it was; it had already taken a toll to who the young man declared as dear.

"It is ancient as far as I can tell. It no longer has a proper name and modern society would not have recorded it. I know it is elven and comes from the time of Shadowharbor; a world of parallel existence to my own. It is dark and my friend is dying. He is fading away into the raw energy of magic herself and his body looks to be disintegrating. As if to ashes from burns and inflammation of the skin."

"He arrived to my care three days' past and is now very close to the end if I do not help him."

The demoness then looked saddened now and she considered her options before speaking to him of this dilemma he was in, "This curse will not be easy to break from him, nor will he be strong as soon as it ends. The Elves of Shadowharbor were the foremost experts on dark magic in their time and the curse you spoke of is old and very powerful, young master. The druids used that curse as a territory marker and as punishment for heinous criminals who had been given the rite of execution. They are a parallel world because they moved through dimensions to keep out of war and conflict to others."

"I do not know if the one you claim as dear came across a Shadowen elf, but if he did; he has suffered greatly for trespassing on what that elf considered his grounds. Shadowen elves do not need a normal place to live; they can cross time and space if needed. Your line was one gifted enough to learn of how to do so from them when it was but a newborn line to wizards. As I said, it would not be easy to lift and would require a witch or wizard of great power in order to even attempt the ritual. But, you are unlike the last several generations of your ancestors. I can sense that you have magic so strong that even demons such as I cower under its weight and presence. And while to you I am weak; there are many alike to me and considered as akin to me who fear me for my power here in this world."

Harry eyed her with respect and nodded his acknowledgement to her words. His face did not express anything in particular though he seemed to be impatient for her to continue on about the curse and how to lift it.

She then looked to him a moment, "Beyond my freedom from these binds you have used on me; there must be an exchange between us if you desire to save him. I will give you the three strands of my hair needed for the rite, but you must also offer me something in return for the gift I bestow. My hair is like my life-line; were I to lose all of it...I would die. In giving you three strands; I shave-off three hundred years of my demonic life, so your gift must equal what I am granting you. I also sense you need something beyond the strands of my hair?"

Harry nodded, "So I noted to myself before coming and you're correct that I need something other than your hair, but I will get to that later. Name your price, demoness. There is little back in my world that I cannot obtain."

She raised a brow, "No hesitation or fear to your voice in what I could ask of you? Curious. I could have asked to have you spend eternity here as my slave while he tries desperately to find you once healed?"

Harry's gaze darkened and he rose his palms as crackling green lightening sprung from his hands and he smirked, "Try it and see who wins."

The demoness gnashed her teeth to the sight of the magic and knew she was outmatched. She was chained down and her powers suppressed. The young lord was very wise in knowing to do this before stepping into the realm of her kind.

"In exchange for my help, you will bring to me three vials of unicorn and basilisk blood; undiluted. Do this and I will show you the incantation needed to break the darkness over who you wish to bring back from near-death as well as gift to you my hair strand for the ritual to restore his body. The blood must be relatively fresh for it to be of use. In terms of the basilisk if it is dead already; it cannot have been dead longer than ten years. The blood will preserve well depending on environs."

Harry considered before smiling, "I can easily do this. Do you need these items by a certain time?"

The demoness rose a brow; he was certainly sharp.

"Yes. I must have them before the new moon." She agreed

Harry nodded, "I can easily retrieve them. However, I request you help me break the curse first. Once broken and I ensure my friend lives, I will see my elf to care for him while I retrieve the items bargained for."

The demoness considered and scowled slightly but nonetheless agreed to the terms. He seemed honest enough in his desire to save his friend to know that betraying her would not be wise.

"The incantation you need is simple, but not at all easy to cast. It drains you of magic quickly and will consume your core if not mindful of your reactions in the body. The elves of Shadowharbor were masters of the arcane in its finest with dark magic once. The words you seek are sluden t'larryo; kul'gobuss d'l'shar sut, or chains broken; prisoner of the mind, release."

She then allowed her hands to tenderly break off three threads of her hair and Harry took them delicately as he released her bindings and she sat down slowly.

Harry nodded, "I will return soon with what I have promised to you."

He then vanished from sight and the demoness growled in irritation. Wizards of his clan always were a nuisance. They could be so very deliciously devious and evil; yet dark magic would never cling to them. Not enough to free her or others here anyhow.

* * *

Harry then appeared back into the room and took the book he had researched and left again as Mipsy watched him in an intrigued manner. Her master seemed…happy. That was a good thing because if he was happy; he must have found how to break the curse.

She observed as Harry brewed some sort of concoction with the strands of hair he had obtained. She winced as she saw the residual magic around them. Demons and Demonesses were not creatures she would wish to negotiate with, but Mipsy knew her master now would be relatively safe from them. His power rivaled most of them as it was. Not to mention that Death would never allow Harry to be killed by them.

Once the liquid was done and put into a vial; he walked with her behind to Tom's room. His eyes were soft now as he gently placed the liquid on several areas of his body. Ignoring the burning sensation to himself, before forcing Tom to ingest the rest.

He then raised a palm and focused his mind and magic on the incantation. He felt the extreme draw on his core and the tiredness of his limbs set in. The words becoming more powerful as they drew energy from him and was siphoned into Tom to break the curse. Finally, after several repeated applications of the incantation, a purple spark flared and Harry sank to the floor in exhaustion as Tom groaned and merely slept.

That was a positive sign.

Harry managed to pull himself up and over to the bed to observe his friend. He caressed the skin of his cheek and no longer felt the sizzling burn. His magic was coming back and regathering. He smiled triumphantly only for a moment and then laid beside him. Too tired to do anything else.

Mipsy smiled wanly; her master was a most powerful wizard. Hopefully the other master would appreciate what he had done for him as she popped out to do as he had bid of her. They would not sleep long. Her assumptions proved true when Tom woke first and groaned softly as he opened his eyes and they widened that he was alive. He noticed that he felt tired still, but his wounds were gone and the curse had somehow been lifted. He did not know how; seeing as he remembered only fleeing by apparition and it knocking him out.

He then froze as he felt another body beside his and cautiously turned slightly to see who it was. The red gaze widened and then softened some as he saw the sleeping boy next to him. He was paler than he last recalled seeing him. His eyes sunken in and tired; as if he had not slept well in a few days.

Mipsy then softly popped in and bowed, "Good, you have woken. Master Harry will be most pleased. Considering he spent the last three days fixing whatever damage was done and at all the risk to himself."

Tom eyed her, "What exactly happened? The last things I remember is going to retrieve something of mine and noticing an intruder to where it was kept. Then, a fight broke out between us and I was injured heavily before being cursed, and knowing the curse should have killed me. I managed somehow to apparate in a panic and the magic rendered me unconscious whenever I happened to reappear?"

Mipsy bowed in apology, "I would tell you if I is knowing the details, but Master…he was very upset with whatever happened to you and he did not see fit to tell me in case of the danger he went into to try and help you. You will need to wait for him to wake up to ask."

She then beckoned him to try and stand and Tom slowly did so. Mipsy grimaced at the wobbly state he was in as she then used her magic to help him maintain balance. Tom noted he was bare of his clothes and smirked a moment before sobering at why he had been left in such a way. It obviously had not been pleasing for Harry.

"Master asked me to prepare a special cleansing bath in the ritual room. It will provide you protection from such magic again should you ever encounter it. It will also purify the remaining remnants of the dark magic left by the curse. You are not to try and do any magic for the next couple of days, as yours is still being brought back to you. You were fading and Master was determined for you not to need to use another of your Horcruxes to be reborn."

"He claimed that while you had the resources to; you and he did not have the time."

Tom was silent as the elf told him this. He had not been aware of exactly how close he was to really dying, but this made the picture much more permanent. Harry had risked his life and his magic to save his. There was no way he could repay the gesture for now.

The elf allowed him his thoughts as she brought him to the ritual room. She gave him a moment to settle into the water and then told him to remain submerged for the next half-hour. He nodded and she left to tend to other duties.

Tom sighed when left alone. He did not know what to make of all this.

His alliance with the young man who had healed him was tentative at best, though proving to be quite useful and beneficial given recent events. They had much bad blood between them. Yet, Tom's red gaze darkened and gleamed with possessiveness of him. He was going to ensure Harry became his. There was no one else who could understand his power and not be a feared by it.

Just thinking about him set his blood to a boil and his mind did not like the idea of anyone else touching him. He growled low in his throat, _'No. If I have my way; Harry will never ever be touched by another other than myself.'_ He thought

Tom was then startled out of his thoughts as a loud boom and crash was heard and Mipsy appeared and looked stricken.

"You must stay here. No matter what you feel or hear upstairs, you must stay here." She said

Tom glared, "Why? What has happened?"

Mipsy then sighed as she cowed to the feel of the rising magic from the dark lord, "Master has unwanted guests again. He warned them not to return or they would pay for it with their lives. But they believe him to still be their friend…even after the despicable acts they did against him; that he would not be capable of harming them. He is exhausted from healing you and ridding you of the curse that has beheld you in the last few days and now they dare to come back."

"His temperament is…not good and Mipsy knows well enough to be out of sight when Master is like that. Blood flows when he is enraged as he is now, and his former friends will not stand a chance."

Mipsy eyed him as Tom trembled in rage, "You must stay here. They do not know Master has decided to aid you. Merely that he will now not help either side. Besides, you will endanger your magic if you try to help him. I do not think you would like it if you lost your ability to cast magic."

Tom watched the elf warily, "For some elf who has not been told much; you sure do know an awfully large amount?"

Mipsy smiled now, "I have served the Potters since Master's great-grandparents time and have knowledge of his clan's past. While Master Harry may not tell me much; I can read into what he tells me by utilizing my own magic. It has been an invaluable skill to the Masters and Mistresses of the Potter household."

"When will Harry return?" Tom asked subdued

Mipsy eyed him, "That would depend on a number of things. First, he would have to either kill or capture his unwanted guests without harming himself and exhausting his magic again more than necessary. He was really drained from whatever magic was cast on you and having to be rid of it."

"Second, if he does not manage to do the first; the likelihood they take him prisoner is high. They want to make him see reason and to do as they bid, but Master has no desire to. If he is taken, I have no doubt that when he sees his opportunity to escape, he will."

Tom grit his teeth and tried vainly to calm down as his anger rose to the surface. They dared to force Harry to do as they wanted again? Had they not learned from the first time? His rage was becoming visible as magic energy was rising before him. Mipsy stood back now in fear and wondered what to do.

"Easy there Tom, my unwanted guests are no longer a problem and I fear I may have gone overboard. Alastor and the Order will no doubt search for them, but he will not find them." Harry said calmly as he stepped in the room, "For there is nothing left of those three to find."

Tom's gaze relaxed at seeing him, "You managed to undo the curse I suffered?"

Harry smiled and then scowled, "Yes, but not without dangers to myself. The curse originated from a time lost to the past and found nowhere within modern written records. I had to…bargain the answers I sought."

Harry sat beside the edge of the water and eyed it momentarily, "I see the purification agents I added to this are working. I had hoped so, but honestly; the magic was so dark and old, I feared it would not. It will not change your darker magic inclination nor your nature, but it will rid the harmful effects of the magic used on you that have been left-over from the curse and will ward and protect you from similar magic for up to at least a year."

Tom was quiet, "What exactly was I cursed with?"

Harry sneered, "Magic that should forever remain forgotten. It has no name and is no longer really known but to whomever used it on you and now us. It hails from the time of Shadowharbor and the Shadowen elves when they stewarded the earth's lands; or, they stewarded lands that dealt with the punishment of the accused. It was meant to kill you for trespassing normally, but I do not think whoever used it on you did it for that reason."

Harry eyed him, "How did you end up like that? I nearly had a heart attack when you landed in my living room. You had wounds everywhere, blood pouring out and magic that made me shudder to even feel on you. You were unconscious, barely breathing and who knows what would have happened if you had landed in the home of one of your other followers."

Tom seemed to guess he had created quite a panic in the younger wizard; though he had handled the situation well.

"I don't really remember much of what occurred oddly." He said in quiet tone, "I remember going to search for something of mine to recollect. It had been hidden to protect it and I wanted to reclaim it. I believe it was one of my Horcruxes, but I honestly do not know."

Harry nodded, "It seems that the curse may have erased what memories you had of the events preceding it. You did almost die, after all, and I was getting desperate to figure out how to save you."

Tom eyed him, "You said you had to bargain for how you saved me. What did you mean by that?"

Harry fidgeted now as red eyes narrowed on him.

"Being the Master of Death is more than being able to simply control the flow of life and death. Time is no obstacle to me now and I will not age as normal humans do. Magic of all kinds are easily learned and dark magic will never taint or corrupt me; even though I could easily become as villainous as you have been. If I wanted to travel to the past or the future; I could do so with little consequences. It would not matter by how many years forward or backwards I went. I can also walk between worlds and their parallels. I need no items to do this with nor potions to help me get where I need to go."

"Death granted the Shadowen Elves that gift. To be able to move through time and space without much effort; and, the Peverells learned the gift from them when it was barely a newly formed Noble House after the first founding of the Ministry. I may be called friend to Death and he may come if I ask; he may decide to aid me if he feels he can, but Death himself does not teach his secrets to just anyone. Master of Death or no."

Harry eyed the water absently, "Sometimes having so much knowledge and power frightens me. Most of time, I am grateful for it, and more often than not; I find it has been beneficial to me in more ways than I knew, but there is disadvantages to such large amounts of power."

"Most people live their lives trying to make their ends meet. It is the same here as it would be to muggles. They do not care for the war nor do they understand the reasons for it; they simply know that there is one going on and want an end to it so normality can come back to restore the prosperity again."

"They fear dark magic because they do not understand it nor its purposes; similarly, to how the muggles fear us because they cannot understand how we control our power. Or how we fear the muggles because a lot of us do not understand the full brutality their technology could bring about."

"My powers go beyond the muggle level of comprehension and they also supersede the knowledge of most witches and wizards. To gain what I needed to cure you; I summoned and opened a portal to another dimension whose permanency was then amplified by the blood I used from me to give it solidity in this world until I no longer needed it. It led me to a parallel world and I spoke to the residing demoness within.

In exchange for three of her hairs and the incantation to the spell that I needed to heal you; I will need to bring her three vials of undiluted unicorn and basilisk blood before the new moon."

Harry shifted uncomfortably, "Space is no obstacle to me either, as I mentioned. I can walk between places as normally as I walk the halls of my own home. The demoness was easily over-powered by me and to most; that is a clear indication that one should fear me."

"Demons do not die in a normal manner. When a demon is killed; they die, and are placed into a new cycle of reincarnation. It could take hundreds upon hundreds of years, but they would be and are reborn from the fires of their realms when their reincarnation cycle ends. Or from whatever element rules the realm they reside in. I can make sure that any demon or demoness who crosses me is never to be re-entered in that cycle; meaning if I was forced to kill her to get what I needed...she would die and then not ever return to her realm ever again in corporeal flesh. Her help was willing; if only because I threatened to do just that and she knew I could."

Tom was silent and his gaze seemed to hollow out some, "Once a long time ago…I desired to obtain the Hallows and become the Master of Death for myself. I tried for years and years until I finally found the resurrection stone of Cadmus Peverell. I then learned of Albus looking for them as well. He had done so too when Gellert Grindelwald was alive, but after his death; he stopped and until he likely learned of my interest in them…he paid them no mind."

His gaze then met Harry's and the younger man knew Tom was very serious.

"Now that I know what sort of effects it has on the body and the mind; I am glad for once that I did not succeed in my endeavors. I will return the ring to you, as you should have it. You are the last of the Peverells in direct descent. However, my horcrux will remain with it and I entrust you with it to keep safe."

Harry nodded slowly as Tom delicately brought one hand from the water and placed it beside Harry, "Much as I intend to protect you now from those who hurt you. It is thanks to you that I live and is by far the least I can do to try and repay what you did for me."

Harry scowled, "I did not ask you to do this, nor is there a need to repay me for my aid. I did it as much for you as I did for myself. If one of your Inner Circle found you as I did; hopefully they would wish to help you."

Tom snorted, "It is more likely they would have allowed me to die because of their inadequate knowledge. Or because they desired to see me end to rise in my place. Not that it would work exactly."

Harry was quiet; knowing how likely that scenario seemed.

Tom then hesitated, "What is this feeling that is lingering between you and I? I know some of what it is, but I…I do not understand it."

Harry eyed him, "What feelings are you trying to understand exactly?"

Tom seemed frustrated, "I do not know. I feel all content and peaceful whenever I am near you and I like to be in your company versus my Inner Circle. I like it when your attention is on me, but I…do not like it when it is on others for longer than seems to be necessary. In fact, I would say I often would be nearly jealous of the fact it was on another if I had known it was."

"Then, I feel…possessive of you." He said slowly as Harry then scooted backwards and out of Tom's direct grabbing range.

He seemed sad by that but did not really acknowledge it, "I want to be able to protect you. I want for you to come to trust me, but how I will do that; I don't know. I do not like the thought of you with another person."

Harry's eyes narrowed, "How do you mean?"

Tom grimaced, "Exactly as it sounded. I don't like thinking of you being intimate at all with another whom I think is not worth your time. The possessiveness in me screams out to curse anyone that dares to approach you in such a way. Yet, at the same time I know I cannot force you not to want companionship." He said quietly, "It just feels like I am torn when I try to think of you walking away from me for whatever reason. The urge to grab you and hide you away is almost too much."

Harry was silent; he did not know how to respond to this.

Tom growled in frustration, "I am also aware that simply trying to grab you and hide you away won't work. For one, you have knowledge that would let you escape wherever I put you regardless of wards and traps. But, for some reason beyond my comprehension; I simply want you safe and out of danger. I want you to trust me and to know that you can rely on my help if you need it."

His sanguine gaze then lifted to the verdant one that watched him with pensiveness, "I want to be the one you come to when you are troubled. I want to be the one who holds onto to you and cradles you when you are endangered. "

His gaze dropped back to the water, "It sounds so…ridiculous and foolish. We spent nearly your whole life fighting the other and now after a few weeks together; I feel almost close you in a way I do not with any of my Inner Circle. A closeness I never wanted to have with them, but cannot deny that I want when I think of you."

Harry's eyes softened as he smiled slightly, "I think you know what you are feeling, but you simply do wish to admit it."

Tom gazed to him and then sucked in his breath to the radiant smile Harry wore. It was as if the sun had appeared in the dark basement and lit it up so the whole world could see. He shook his head and refused to want to accept it.

Harry's smile dimmed some, "I cannot force you to accept your feelings, Tom. They're yours to have and to keep. However, if you truly desire me as you are saying you do; then you will need to come to accept them. I will not simply give of myself to you. I will not be used and hurt that way."

Harry then sat back down beside him outside of the water, "I agree that I too feel a semblance of closeness to you that I never felt with anyone else. I probably understand you and your antics better than your Inner Circle. Just as you probably understand me on a level my former friends never did or ever would."

Tom watched him hesitantly now and Harry gazed to the far wall.

"You and I are so very similar and yet so ideally different. I think this is why magic pulls us to the other. We both see this world as something with the potential to be more than it is, but we both have different ideas of how it should come together. If we work together and merge our ideas; this world of magic could withstand anything in time."

Harry then looked to him with a soft look, "But I will not stand beside you as you wish if you simply use me. I have been used too much before to want this. You need time to consider what you think is most important to your goals and how much letting me stand by you could change this."

Harry then eyed the wall again as Tom continually stared at him unrelentingly. Tom knew he wanted to make the wizard world a place for magic to be safe from persecution. From muggles and their technology as much as internal corruption like what was rampant now. He had tried for so long to get there with the methods he had, but those only had given him so much room to maneuver.

Harry was unlike any other wizard he knew. Powerful beyond his years as he was, and intellectually wiser than many three times his age due to experiences no one should need to endure. He was strong, in body and in mind, and Tom knew his thoughts were becoming less than ideal.

His lower regions were beginning to react to his thoughts and Harry was mere feet away. The water was also not murky enough to hide the fact his body was pleased. Tom growled low in throat again and Harry watched him with a pensive expression before he stood and the red gaze turned to him.

"I will leave you to consider what I told you. Once you come to a decision, you will find me. I do not intend to leave the mansion for the next several days, but I do have some…projects that need checking on." Harry told him

The eyes of the dark lord narrowed on Harry's retreating back as he walked from the room. The words did not comfort him; no, in fact they made him more suspicious of Harry and whomever he left in charge of his project.

Mipsy then popped in and had clothes laid for him before turning to the guest, "These are for you when you exit the bath. You have a few minutes left, but please take care to not fall. Your limbs and joints have only just coalesced back into their previous form."

Tom nodded and watched as she disappeared before he let out a frustrated sound and tried to decide what he wanted.


	5. Chapter 5: Marriage of Magic and Souls

**Chapter V** : _The Marriage between Magic and Souls_

Harry's mind was in turmoil; he was split in indecision of whether to adhere to what his mind had planned or, to once more follow his heart and the emotions that bubbled within his very soul now at what it desired to do. Emotions that had led to his hurt from the betrayal more than he thought it should have affected him at the time. It had only been mere weeks since the tentative alliance had been formed between himself and the Dark Lord...and already both he and Riddle were beginning to feel the effects of their magic changing towards the other; in ways he had thought to be possible, but had wanted to test hesitantly before broaching them. He had told himself that he was going to be patient and wait to see if what he suspected was correct, but damn it all…

He had entered his chambers and locked himself in as silencing wards had automatically been summoned. He stripped down out of his robes and spread out among the pillows as he moaned into one and stifled the urge to buck his hips into his mattress.

Harry's eyes were clouded with lust, but seemed unsure of what exactly to do about this situation. Tom's magic; no matter how weakened due to his state from the curse that had just been lifted from him, was alluring and seductive in all its dark and addicting ways. He was immune to it fully ever tainting him, but it was calling him to come and to be touched. He was nearly certain that his own magic was doing the same to the dark lord and that Tom seemed to be more affected than he presently was. If he was actually feeling his emotions again despite his Horcruxes and was confused over them, Tom definitely had much more confusion to work through about what he wanted from all this; more than Harry would. Perhaps some of the confusion was due to the lack of emotions through the years and the sudden resurface…he could not say.

He turned over and sat up gently as the cool silk made him shiver in pleasure while his hand gripped the straining erection and rubbed it with firm motions. He reveled in how sensitive his skin was to the barest of intangible caress to his guest's magic. He eyed his essence, which was beginning to leak out, and wondered if his body would still react to Tom so responsively if he deigned to acknowledge the bond that was between them. He hissed out a pleased sound as he envisioned the man's hands wandering him; those long fingers sent him shuddering with desire and then allowed his mind to wander.

He wondered who of the two of them would be more dominant in a relationship between them. While Harry was aware that he was dominant most times; his penis became harder at the thought of Tom being able to own him in such a way. Of someone being able to have such a profound way to control him and his magic. He could almost see and feel his cock shoved up his ass and of Tom hissing at him in the erotic snake language they were so attuned to. Of his magic lightly rubbing against his senses as much as his hands would as they wandered his body.

"Yessss." He hissed in pleasure as he began to sweat and to pant

Harry's hips began to rock and gyrate as he rubbed faster and more firmly while imagining Tom sucking him to completion and those ruby eyes gleaming in the dark of his bedroom while Harry lost control

As soon as his fantasy had begun; it was over. His semen burst from him and coated the sheets in sticky white fluid as he lay there out of breath and trying to come to terms with what he had just done. He had no problems in admitting he preferred males over females. He had no problem seeing himself bonded for life to another male, but he honestly wondered why his magic wanted this particular male for him.

On one hand; Harry once more silently admitted to himself that there were few who could even begin to handle his power as a life partner, and that he was well aware that Tom was one of the few who easily could make sure he would not lose himself without repercussions to him. It made sense in this regard as to why his magic had chosen him. Especially now that Harry knew that the Prophecy was false and had been created to try and eliminate him and Tom in one go. That they had survived was not what Albus had expected, and thus he had to plan all over. Their survival; it had impacted them both before either were aware of it.

On the other hand, it seemed so wrong and messed up to be attracted to the person who murdered your parents and had tried to kill you nearly eleven times now, but Harry couldn't deny that he was very attracted to Tom and his magic. The connection of his own and Tom's magic felt right, but Harry didn't know what he would do upon rejection if Tom decided that he would rather not indulge the ideas he had offered to him.

Even if those ideas practically laid Harry into Tom's hands; for better or for worse.

Harry breathed slowly as he regained his sense of self and grimaced; he honestly wondered what his mother and father thought of all this. He was afraid to ask Death to ask them for him. Harry was aware that both had been very entrenched to the Light and its propaganda. Had they ever considered the Dark side if they needed to, or even varying lines of both? Would they be angry and disappointed? Would they be able to forgive him? Could Sirius forgive his decisions?

He had long blocked out these thoughts to prevent the overwhelming sadness that encroached upon him when he did. But now, as Tom continued to live here and walked in the halls that had housed many generations of his family; he wondered what his parents and Sirius thought of all this? Harry knew that Tom had annihilated the last several generations of his clan...some of them had even died amid this very mansion, and he had heard the angry whispers of the portraits to his allowance of Tom to stay.

His ancestors did not understand the precarious nature of the bond between Harry and Tom; and the most current Lord of the House of Potter had little patience to even try to explain it. He should not have to, and they would still believe whatever they wanted. They saw the dark lord's continued housing here as an insult to the memory of those who had fought him and died to him. Both his older ancestors and his parents; they were gone and did not really have a way to make their thoughts truly impact his life, but he had always known that they had loved him and wanted whatever was best for him.

He did not know if that would extend to him going dark if needs must. He sighed as he laid there and tried to excise these thoughts. He had larger problems now to be dealing with and he needed to be able to focus.

* * *

Meanwhile, as Harry was isolated away and wandering down a dark lane of thought; Tom had dressed, eaten a light meal, and was now amid the mansion's sun-room. He stared out to the garden and watched the sunset; though his mind was far away and his gaze was seemingly displaced and blank to the outside view. It was odd, and a bit disturbing, to be here and to be welcomed in these halls. Welcomed here by the Lord of the House only; he had heard the portraits and their disguised whispers. He remembered clearly of his battle to Charlus and Dorea within the foyer of the house as they forced their elves to safety. They had made an intriguing and admittedly good pair.

Just as James and Lily had been a good match for the skills between them. He might not really care for the muggle-borns, but he knew they had their uses. Harry was correct in that they needed some of them to keep Mother magic stable. He sighed as he watched the red-orange bleed more profusely into the skyline. He knew what he wanted; he had since he had arrived here and the initial talks had been over with. He had known of what he wanted for both his goals and his personal desires since early on when Harry had revealed his truths to them, but he was afraid to act on it. Would giving in to his emotions like this after so long without them make him seem weaker to those who allied to him?

He was quite sure that even if they began to think he was softening; that he could ensure that they were all reminded of why he was the Dark Lord and they were not. But even then...Tom was wary of what to do.

How would these emotions in him change how he would go about achieving his goals? Would he even still desire the same things as he once had after all was said and done? Would he still be able to commit to the path he set out to follow? Would this path change its course to be near unrecognizable if he wanted Harry by him? The Peverell Lord seemed to acknowledge his ideas and goals; to accept them in some forms, but he knew Harry did not agree to all he wanted.

Harry evoked so many new and invigoratingly provoking thoughts to him while his magic enticed his body to force his mind to consider them. The young man was literally a walking magnet for his attention with the magic that came off of him and licked at his own. His body already craved to touch Harry and to see him in the last moments of ecstasy as he brought him to over the edge. He wanted to see the now very controlled young man let go again and to give in to his more wild side.

It had been years since he had ever even thought of such things.

Tom's eyes burned in the thought of having his cock inside of the younger man as his groin was now uncomfortably tight. He could already envision the clashing of their cores and the pleasure their senses would derive from it as they moved together. He moaned slightly as he envisioned how tight Harry might be and as the heat viscerally gripped him as he made himself come to own Harry as his.

"S-Salazar…" he breathed, "I want it so badly that even my mind agrees. But is my desire of this worth risking my whole life's achievements for? Am I really risking them at all?" He whispered

It was then Harry walked in and noticed his tensing.

"Tom, are you alright?" Harry asked

The elder man turned; startled by the voice and then nodded wordlessly. Harry watched with raised brows and saw Tom approach closer to him. Harry became wary at once…there was something different than before with Tom and his magic.

Not necessarily something bad, but still…

Tom came before Harry and the young wizard was well aware of how uncomfortable he was with whatever emotional turmoil he had. Tom merely stared at him; as if he was trying to see something in him or about him. Harry stood there rooted to the spot and unable to gaze away from the burning ruby eyes, but otherwise remained stoic

So it was to his great surprise when Tom suddenly grabbed his face and kissed him. It was rough, animalistic and Harry felt all of what Tom was trying to convey without words. He moaned slightly and kissed back as his arms surrounded the older wizard's neck. His hands then dragged Harry's hips and they were pulled close as Tom pushed his lower region to his.

Harry growled marginally and released his lips from the kiss at that before he forcefully gyrated on him. Red eyes were seared with desire as a challenge had been made and the emerald inferno of Harry's stare was one he wanted to see. Tom's throat then rumbled with a fierce nip to his neck as he then began a new kiss for a few moments more as he ground against him before letting go and attacked his neck with small nips and kisses.

Harry moaned now as his cock twitched with eagerness and Tom's hand had by now breached his trousers to grip him and begin to fondle his half-hard erection. Harry's head rolled to the side as his eyes went to the back of his head.

Cheeks flushed with slight pink and his lips parted a little in partial pleasure. He began to grind more actively to the rubbing and wanting the friction to increase. To create more stimulation.

"Yesssss…oh, Merlin, yesss…" He hissed out erotically as Tom's gaze darkened in lust to the language only they shared and knew so intimately

Their magic had begun to mesh and it clashed in the room around them as it began to vibrate and react to the joining.

"What do you want me to do to you, Harry?" He asked softly with a lilt, "What do you want me to do? I know what I desire to do. My mind is still conflicted over if my choice is right, but…" Tom whispered like melted chocolate to his ear, "My magic feels content with you and losing you now to another would break me so completely. I would be broken as nothing else ever has broken me before. I don't want you to need another other than me."

Harry's mind was a big fog cloud but he smirked as suddenly their clothes were gone and Harry had toppled him to the floor. He had effectively caused the older man to become inundated with immense desire, lust and pleasure to the sight of a very dominating Harry Potter.

"I think the better question is, what do you want me to do to you now, my lord?" Harry whispered seductively, "Our magic is meshing together quite well. Licking at the other like flames."

He then rubbed the hard rod in his hands and Tom groaned as his hips bucked and Harry smiled with a carnal and near sinful look that Tom honestly thought never to exist on his innocent face. He stopped and Tom scowled as he opened his eyes to snap at him to keep doing that. But the words died as he gasped when wet heat surrounded him.

"Fucking gods, oh Salazar, don't stop." Tom moaned

Harry smiled with smugness to him as his mouth was around the hot length and Tom cursed under his breath as his hips tried to buck, but a hand had held them down. Harry used his tongue to tease the hardened flesh and to slowly make the dark lord cry out as he slid the muscle along his vein on the underside. It forced Tom into moaning louder as he tickled the slit.

Then the heat was removed with a soft pop and Tom groaned but he had not had to wait long for what came next. He had not expected it. Harry straddled him and then lined himself with his cock to his entrance. He then slammed down and began to ride."

"You wanted to know what I wanted, Tom. So here it is." He panted breathily, "Fuck me, or I swear…"

The eyes widened and then darkened as his mind slowly caught up. He allowed Harry to ride him and made sure he was being pleased by the actions as much as he was. He then realized how beautiful the boy was like this and snarled to himself as he thought about how he was not sharing Harry. Ever.

As Tom continued to bounce his hips and allow Harry to be pounded into; his gaze had become feral and dangerous. A Predator.

"You're mine Harry." He told the boy in low warning growl, "You will have no other. I do not share."

Harry's eyes then turned to his and had an iridescent luminosity to them as he smirked to him while his ass continued to ride and barrel into him; eyes that were as resplendent as the glow of the Avada Kedavra and set Tom's soul afire.

"I have yet to allow anyone to own me, Riddle. You want to own me? Then prove it." He hissed at him, "Show me that you can handle me."

Tom's gazed hardened with dark lust as a very possessive growl left him and Harry was flipped over with Tom driving into him. Hard and fast. His arms were pinned down and an erratic thrusting of Tom's groin was penetrating him deeply as it nailed his sweet spot repetitively.

Harry moaned as he was pinned and then his nails scraped the tile floor as Tom continued to enter him and he decided to also nibble at his nipples.

"So wanton Harry." Tom smiled with possessive glee to his face, "I think your body knows to whom it really belongs."

Harry's eyes cracked open and narrowed with defiance as his hips bucked and took Tom deeply into him. His magic surged and coursed over the dark lord's body which caused Tom to grit his teeth and forced him to make sure not to cry out from the severe pleasure that had caused him. After the pulses stopped, Tom smirked to him as Harry lay there still pinned and now panting breathily from the release of excess magic. He was so tantalizing to see like this; Tom simply wanted to stay this way forever.

Tom's own magic then repeated the action and Harry too grit his teeth as an impression of immense sensuality and erotic craving washed over him. He refused to squeal to this though he was hard pressed not to make any noise.

"Now Harry, I think you know that your magic wants me and mine to be with you. Don't deny it; we both have been feeling the draw." He told him softly, "I want this…and what I want; I do whatever is in my power to ensure I have."

Harry was sure that his body had never been so stimulated before, but could not give not in yet fully. He had to know first…

"I want this Tom; truly, I do. The connection between our magic and its cores feels right and I know our magic is as equally compatible together as partners as it would be as enemies." Harry breathed, "I would not have reached out otherwise if I thought it wasn't possible. But…what do you see me as?"

His gaze hollowed some as the lust in the green eyes dimmed, "I am powerful beyond compare to most and many feel that I should be contained for it. I do not want to be used as a bargaining chip to this war, nor to be kept merely as a trophy for you. The draw between us is affecting our emotions to bring us closer more quickly, but it cannot fake the genuine feel to the emotions of what we ourselves want from this."

"What am I to you?" Harry asked of him as he breathed heavily, and the Dark Lord saw the complete acceptance to Harry's lust of him and to his submission to him in this instance.

Tom was driven by his personal desires to own this young man as no one ever had, but reality had seen to it that he saw how Harry was being affected by what this could mean. It was the first time ever that he had ever considered another's thoughts and feelings to his actions.

"You are majestic Harry." Tom told him honestly, "A unique wizard gifted with power and wisdom beyond his years. Partially because of actions I forced upon you to need. I don't deserve your forgiveness, this second chance at happiness, or you; but magic herself wants us together, and if you will let me…I will be the one and only other you need not to fear any longer."

"I want this to work. Salazar, I want this so damn bad that I cannot even fully understand it. I too feel the sense of right to our magic." He said, "I was young and stupidly naïve when I decided to strip myself of emotions. I do not regret what I did; for I have achieved my goals in some form due to the actions done. I may not always understand what is being conveyed to me because of those same actions, but so long as you are there to guide me now…I think the world will one day be one where both dark and light coexist."

"I will always be in the interest of the dark as you seem to be, but we do need some of the light to keep things even. I do not relish a world where the Light dominates though. You will be the key in helping me remember that. That I do not lose me to myself ever again and to hurt you as I have before. I would not be able to forgive myself if I did something to hurt you so. Especially if what I did caused you to leave me. Whether permanently or not."

Harry's mind was stilled with shock to the words. His body and magic seemed to be singing in the veins as his mouth moaned to the sudden eruption of pleasure. Their magic had cemented together and now their souls were linking too by using the connection of magic. His ass clamped down on Tom and the elder wizard hissed in what made Harry shudder with desire.

"Claim me as yours then, Tom Riddle" Harry hissed to him softly, "But be aware that our bond goes beyond simply time and space. Ours is a bond of magic and soul; both entities are eternal and so too are ours now."

Tom's gaze darkened as his eyes were nearly black in lust as he aggressively thrust into the younger wizard. Harry cried out this time and his magic lashed at Tom for the harsh intrusion, but did not lash in a way meant to cause recoil. Harry's own gaze was nearly as black as his counterpart's was and he hissed so very needy of the touches Tom was giving to him. It was then to Harry's enormous surprise that Tom somehow had managed to shift both them so he was on all fours while still buried inside of him.

His hands were wandering over the delicate and slim hips as his mouth was suckling as the joint of his neck. Harry moaned and felt his erection become painfully tight to all the different sensations Tom was showing him.

"You are mine, Harry." He breathed to his ear, "I won't accept you going to another. I won't allow another other than me to ever touch you as I have."

Harry's gaze then seemed to smirk as Tom questioned why.

"I am twenty-one years old, Riddle. What makes you so sure that you are the only one who has ever touched me as you are doing now?"

His voice grated on Tom's nerves. The sense of smug satisfaction and self-confidence in the defiance of his words to him was driving his jealousy sky-high. Tom then snarled nastily as he bit down hard into Harry shoulder as his ass was pounded into with near violent thrusts. Nails had embedded themselves to his hips and drew blood while magic sizzled over them and made Harry groan in pain and pleasure.

His voice was low and husky now, "I'll kill them all. They who dared to touch what is mine only to touch. Give me their names and I will make sure they know that you are never to be approached that way ever again by them."

Harry's body shook in sheer pleasure as he tried to will himself to keep from release so soon. Harry was ready to be his now; that he would protect the bond between them like that after all was done; it spoke of how changed they were through this.

Harry was breathing heavily; panting like an out of breath animal and his cock was jutting out and spilling his essence in a small and slow, but steady stream to the sheets. His skin was drenched in sweat and was most likely flushed redder than ever before from sheer exertion. Tom seemed to notice he was close to release and smirked against him as one hand reached down and gripped his penis with a very firm grasp.

Harry whimpered out a needy and very whiny sound to him. The thumb ran over the muscle as his body quivered and shuddered. His ass was raw and Tom hissed pleased sounds as his walls viscerally gripped him.

"You belong to me, Harry Potter." Tom hissed darkly seductive to his ear as his thumb continued to stimulate him and he continually plunged in and out of his body, "Say it."

Harry was barely coherent and whimpered in need.

Tom's gaze was pleased by that action as he allowed his hand to tug on Harry and the younger wizard reacted so beautifully to the touch as he arced up into his body and clamped down in release. His walls were like an unending firestorm that caused Tom to hiss out his own release. Harry's essence spilled into the bed as he took Tom's own into his body and felt for the first time that his magic was not in pain from the bond.

Once spent, Tom gently pulled out as Harry made a groan of loss and pain. Tom smiled to that; he knew the younger wizard would be sore for some time in the next several days. They had not been gentle at all.

Harry then turned and eyed him softly, "My magic doesn't hurt anymore from our bond. I had hoped it would not, but I wasn't sure if even us bonding like this would have resolved the matter."

"Now that you are mine and I am yours fully; we will need time to adjust to the new changes the bonding will bring. Then, I want to research where you were cursed to see who might've been able to do that to you?"

Tom tensed, "No."

Harry frowned, "No?"

Tom shook his head, "I am not risking you to whoever did what they did to me. I would not be able to cure you as you did me. I will not chance that they will come back to where I was attacked before and try to hurt you or me again for whatever reason they have to attack either of us."

Tom then cradled Harry to him as his hand shook, "I nearly died that once. I cannot lose you now and especially not like that. Let's try to research the magic involved more before we go there?"

Harry watched as his gaze was conflicted, "You are not denying me the chance to go and see who might have hurt you; you simply want to know more of the magic used on you before we do go, so you are more prepared to handle what could happen?"

Tom looked to him and seemed relieved that he understood what he meant and nodded to that. Harry smiled briefly before he stood with a grimace, "I think I need a really long and hot shower."

He began to walk out and Tom watched him go with confliction in his head.

Harry then turned to him with a smirk, "You're welcome to join me. I might need someone to wash my back…"

Tom's red eyes brightened in desire as a sensuous smirk form to his thin lips and he stood as well, "Lead the way."


	6. Chapter 6: Foul Play is Fair Here

**Chapter 6:** _Foul Play is Fair Here_

In another three weeks of time, both Harry and Tom had easily found new traces of lost history to the elves of Shadowharbor. With Harry's gift of being able to travel to realms of parallel existence and his almost unlimited amount of contacts internationally in the wizard world; he had a plethora of options to carefully choose from in how they wanted to do this and how they could exploit what was going on.

But after what had happened to Tom before…

Neither powerhouse wizard was willing to take any chances of the same thing happening again, and that this time; the curse Tom had endured would not be able to be cured in time to save the other. Their bond as a magically bound and unofficially married pair knew that another curse like that would next to destroy both of them as their bond was too new to withstand the magical backlash; though official documentation of their marriage was not yet made; it was on their minds to get it done soon so no one could try to interfere, but as for the time being they both were still isolated to ensure the bond cemented properly.

Their magic in the bond was already glued together firmly; however, due to Tom's split soul, Harry's own soul was having trouble fully connecting to its mate; especially since Harry had soon after revealed that Tom had accidentally made him a Horcrux all those years ago and the fragment inside of him was screaming in agony. As if it was consciously trying to decide if it wished to rejoin Tom as the original or to stay with its host.

A host that had cared for it unknowingly for years and even after he had learned of it what it was truly; he had allowed the fragment its continued existence with him; not allowing anyone to try and remove it. It had taken several days for Harry to convince Tom he wasn't angry for what he had done and that he had not even known, so how could he have until so many years later? They had spoken of possibly retrieving the Horcruxes and trying to find an alternative way to reseal them back to him.

Harry was now well-learned in dark magic and was also very cognizant that a Horcrux was a very dark item to own. To reseal it as it had been before its creation; the creator had to give into the lighter side of their being and allow the soul sacrificed for it to forgive them as they connected to their murderer's remorse. For Tom to do this now would be dangerous to his being; never-mind the fact that he honestly told Harry that he still felt no remorse for any of the deaths.

He was honest to his mate in that he regretted he had taken the lives of his mate's parents and forced Harry to suffer the penalty for it when he had not deserved it. He regretted that he had played such a large role to his own bonded partner's misery now, but remorse? Tom told Harry he was not remorseful of it. For it would have cheapened the sacrifice they made for their son and in feeling remorse for them; he might have as well never walked into Harry's life now as he was.

Harry had easily understood the true intention of what Tom had meant by the words and had not reacted or lashed out. They also had no idea if resealing them in this manner would affect his magical orientation or not, and neither wanted to chance it. They were aware that some kind of reaction would happen to Tom if they resealed them to his body, but they had no idea in what way. Horcruxes were an old practice; nearly forgotten to time, and in this age…very dangerous to experiment with.

"I will be back in several hours." Tom told Harry

The younger man looked up wearily, "Where are you going?"

Tom smiled, "To see Lucius and find out what has been happening in the Circles since I have been away. He will be able to tell me of what I need to know for when we resurface to the world. Other than this, I wish to see if his library has anything of interest in it to our…dilemma and I am needed to interrogate an Order member they recently caught trespassing."

Harry was quiet and nodded. He knew that they could not stay hidden for much longer, but he felt something afoul in the currents around them. Tom frowned and saw the hesitance to Harry's gaze.

"Be careful. I know you are more than capable of protecting yourself, and I trust you…" He said finally with no emotional inflection, "But, the magical currents are shifting today more than usual. I am already ill at ease of whatever has happened. I know you have things that need done…"

Harry's gaze then softened as he hesitantly looked to Tom, "But, I just want you to come back to me unharmed. I cannot go through a second round of what I already went through to heal you so soon. The emotional turmoil would eat me alive as my magic went out of control."

The red gaze of the older wizard softened as he nodded and apparated out. Harry had watched him leave with a sense of foreboding. It was nearly the same as the one on that stormy afternoon that had landed Tom here in such a deathly state.

He closed his eyes tight as he gently sat his quill down.

"Please…let me be wrong about this…for once in my life, let me be wrong." He asked to no one

Harry then stood and left to prepare his medical supplies should the worse of scenarios happen. Mipsy helping him where she could and dutifully keeping an eye on Harry; her master was not himself right now with what was discovered and was very close to a magical accident induced death by his own hands.

* * *

It had been four hours since Tom had been gone. He had easily seen Lucius and they had discussed everything of note for the time being. The elder blonde had been surprised to learn of his master's magic and of Harry's own magic being drawn to each other. So much so that Mother Magic had been trying to push the two together to save the sentient balance of their world.

Lucius knew both of them had tried hard to deny the draw too. He could see it in how his master spoke of it. But if magic had decided what was to be for them; there was little to be done. Lucius had decided he needed to talk to his son after this. Draco had always been…overly curious about Harry, and now that curiosity could possibly get him killed if he went over his boundaries and enraged Tom for an offense to his bonded.

Tom also wanted Lucius to think of ways to keep Bella in control when they returned; she would not like Harry so close and Harry himself would have no qualms in killing her for her part in the death of Sirius Black years ago. Lucius told him he would speak to Narcissa to see what could be done, but warned Tom that Bella had seemed even more crazed of late and that perhaps killing her now would be merciful. Useful as the Black woman was and had been through the years, Harry hated her and she him; she would easily try to kill him if she thought she could get away with it.

Tom had ultimately agreed, but wanted to wait and see how things turned out.

After initial discussions had been over, Tom went to Lucius's dungeons to oversee an interrogation of an Order member that had been caught trespassing on the Malfoy grounds. Legilimency was good for something, after all…

Tom learned easily that the Order member had been sent out to locate Ron and Ginerva Weasley as well as Hermione Granger as the priority, but were also told to garner whatever information as necessary. They had become aware the three were missing and sought to find them as they had been crucial to bringing Harry back to the Order fold. He learned that the Order was trying to find Harry too; with little success. Other than these pieces, the woman they had caught was of little importance and knew next to nothing of the more secretive plans the Order held.

She was either new to the Order as she was only twenty, or had yet to garner enough respect to rise higher in the ranks of the Order to be someone of note. As he let her go; she groaned and whimpered in pain pitifully and then paled as she realized who stood before her. He smirked to her recognition.

"I see you know who I am easily. Good. There is also no need for you to introduce yourself to me. Your mind is a very…interesting one Ms. Hawethorne." He informed the shaking woman, "However, I shall aid you in one thing only. You will not find the three you seek."

Her body stilled and her eyes burned in hatred, "You killed them?"

He smirked, "Actually, I can honestly say that I did not kill them. I do know who did, but you will not find them because there is nothing left to find. No objects to them, no body to reclaim, nothing. This man is…very efficient."

She stilled to this and he conjured a chair to sit before her, "I know who killed them, but I am also going to say that they do not belong to me. I would very much like to recruit whoever did them in. Those three and Potter have been such thorns in my side for far too long." He smirked as she trembled in rage

"How can you want to hurt people like this? They're just children; for Merlin's sake…" She asked faintly

Tom scowled now, "Humans by nature tend to easily find new ways to hurt and torture the other; with or without magic involved and not always with intent. They always find new ways to justify why they are needed and necessary. These are children who are grown adults now by our laws; laws that are so easily able to be bent that it isn't even fun anymore to really try. Children who have grown-up and been reared in a time of war; have been taught to fight for a cause that they are supposedly loyal to."

"Children who have been used to fight because others do not wish to shelter them as they should, and because they fear what they do not understand." He told her in a firm but cold tone

She quieted to this and he watched as the words sunk in. She seemed to deny that what he said could be true; though, there was doubt in her gaze. Tom was about to say something as Thimble popped in. Thimble was Harry's elf.

"Master Riddle, yous need to come back immediately…the other master is…" Thimble trembled in fear

Tom's face then blanked as he sought the bond between them and instantly his face drained of color. Rage surged and he stood and stalked out of the room while his magic went haywire. Forgetting the woman was there and had now heard what the elf had said. That there was possibly two dark masters a foot.

Thimble was gone before she could try to ask after the second master, but if she ever escaped here or was rescued; she had learned something very valuable to the Order, even if she had not learned of the new dark lord's title.

* * *

Harry was in trouble; he knew it. Backed into a corner and bound there like a snake at the edge of the rabbit's burrow. He ground his teeth together as the binds to hands sapped his magic. They would pay for this.

He had been knocked out somehow and when he had come to; he was tied up with the magic sapping shackles and they had the gall to relieve him of his clothes. His sapped power meant he could not have summoned Death to his side to aid him and was next to possibly as vulnerable as he ever could be. He had no way to access his wandless magic and his wand was taken. They wanted him for something other than simple pleasure; he was sure of it, but as to what…

"You will be coming with us whether or not you want to, Lord Peverell." The woman said in a cold tone as her blue eyes watched him with hatred

Harry eyed them warily, "Why do you need me? I do not know exactly who you are, but I know you are not of this…realm. I am sure I do not have whatever it is you want?"

He knew he was vulnerable like this and he was taking a big risk. He would use his emotional reactions to exploit answers from them if he could. But if they failed to fall for the act; he only prayed that Tom would forgive him when he found Harry had vanished

It would shatter him.

She paused, "It is not so much that we need you personally. But you do have what we need from you. We actually need your magic more than we need you at all. Not all of your magic, just a great amount that will take time for you to replenish. If you are allowed to live after what you do what we need you to."

Harry glared now with equal hatred to his gaze, "And why do you need my magic? The accursed Peverell blood…" He hissed, "I never asked to be born with it."

He was now acting and viciously trying to break his binds. He had noticed that the three people were high elves easily as they had breached the wards and reached him. He had no idea if these elves were of Shadowen culture, but he was determined to find out.

A male stepped towards him, "You need not concern yourself with why."

Harry sneered, "I think I need to concern myself highly if you ordain to kidnap me from my home and intend to force me to give you any amount of my magic? Magic that is cursed in its very blood and that most fear. I have even more reason to be concerned so if you plan to kill me when I am done with my task."

Tom arrived and had remained unnoticed while his eyes flared with anger to see what had happened. Harry was vulnerable to them as well as exposed and bound. He saw the binds had been slowly draining magic and now another male was before his Harry. His mate was struggling before them to break free.

Rubicund eyes darkened as he softly snarled and did not hesitate to attack. Harry was his mate and his alone. They would suffer for his pain and he would make sure they never lived to hurt them again. They would not touch him; not if he had anything to say in it.

It had happened so fast, but the young lord knew the moment it had. He smirked vindictively as his mate's magic washed over the area and waited to see what form of hell Tom wreaked upon them for this. Harry watched as the woman began to scream from nowhere and to convulse. Her body arced and twitched in jagged lines as her two companions watched in horror to what had happened. She continued to scream until her throat bled out. Then a flash of green from shadow and she was down.

The two males watched with horror and stoic faces as she died before them. The Light died in her eyes quickly and Harry chuckled to that as they turned to him and snarled.

"How did you do that?" One snarled

Harry smirked, "What makes you think I did it? I am bound here, remember?"

Just as the words left his lips, the second man had been easily rendered unconscious and the final man who still stood before Harry watched his surroundings with care. Tom then came forth from shadow and smirked as the elf's eyes widened to who he saw.

He saw the colors between Harry and the Dark Lord Voldemort. Mates…The elf wanted to curse himself for not being more careful.

"It cannot be…" He stammered, "You should have died that day…All precautions had been ensured…"

Harry's body went rigid to that statement. So, they were of Shadowen culture after all, and this one had participated in his mate's suffering of the curse he had lifted from him. Harry was now beyond thought with rage; they had dared to harm Tom and now to harm him… Magic exploded around him as the bindings that held before combusted and his dark aura swallowed the area.

Tom hissed in severe pleasure to the sensation that swept over the sun-room while Harry's magic had rendered him to kneeling to the floor and unable to move. He wanted to go to him and to cover him, but it was as if his mind and his body were at war. He was not a man to be considered as submissive at all; yet, at the absolutely suffocating feeling of the dark magic Harry exuded…he was reduced to this and he enjoyed the feeling?

Tom watched as his mate's core continued to release magic and to fight the elf with everything he had. He was bereft of clothes, vulnerable to wounds easily should he be hit, and still he fought for himself and Tom's life from this intruder.

The magic in the air was pungently charged now; so much so, that it had begun to burn against his skin. A burn that did not hurt him, so much as to make his desires come forth and wish he could simply take Harry and vanish. This was a true glimpse of the Peverell lineage if there ever was one. For Harry; he did not tire and showed not a sign he would anytime soon despite Tom knew he was exhausted from many late nights of research.

Spells were flying around willy-nilly, but with precise accuracy and easily seen to be as dark. He used everything from the Unforgivables to minor transfiguration to stop incoming magic. Harry was beautiful like this Tom thought, and he now cherished him more than he could ever say. His mate had continued to fight for them both and now the elf who had been the hunter was the prey who had been hunted down.

He was on the ground; curled into himself and bleeding.

"You dare to attack me in my home?" Harry sneered, "You bind me and strip me. You intended to kidnap me to use my magic and then to kill me…Newsflash elf; you don't try to kill my mate, capture me and use me as a sacrifice and expect to live."

The elf was paralyzed with fear and knew death was closer to him than it had ever been.

He wheezed, "L'tangi d'l'Quortek Ervis zhah a rah. L'vidennen orn ulkund; lu'uk vel'uss zhah telanthus ulu tlu l'uss d'draeval orn zhaun seke ter'rol 'zil draeval unl'r." (The day of the Soul Reap is at hand. The gates will flood; and he who is said to be the one of time will know true terror as time ceases)

Harry's steps halted and his eyes narrowed on the elf, "Lu'oh ulnin goros l'd'issan d'l'Quortek Ervis?" (How soon till the dawn of the Soul Reap)

If the elf was surprised that Harry knew his language; he showed no indication of it. The pale yellow gaze seemed unsure whether to answer, but knew he was going to die either way. There was no point in lying or hiding it. His eyes closed as a smirking smile appeared slowly to his visage that made Harry's magic spark with malice.

"L'Quortek Ervis zhah nigh. Ol shlubnaut tlu vrine'winithus nin." He said softly (The Soul Reap is nigh. It cannot be stopped now.)

He eyed Harry with a smug look, "L'vlos d'l'ancestors Ha'lvon udossa; dos orn tlu morfel ulu doer ulu bry. Tangis'ka dos detholus ulu malar; dos orn'la doer ulu bry." (The blood of the ancestors beckon us; you will be made to come to heel. Even if you chose to fight; you would come to heel.)

Tom watched the interactions between Harry and this intruder cautiously. His mate's rage had lessened and then returned. His magic was itching for a chance to hurt anything it could in reach. He watched as green eyes hardened and a snarl left his lips and then Harry forced the elf's body into nothing but a pile of…what appeared to be vaporized ash.

The elf screamed in agony as Harry's magic took hold and his mate was showing him no mercy. When there was nothing left of him ; he turned his gaze to the one who was unconscious and his lips pursed in disgust.

He rudely woke the elf and then pinned it against the old oak he had slumped against. Bare bodied and crackling magic rolling off of him as twin knives pressed into his throat and his stomach; the elf was strong…he showed no fear of death or what Harry could do to him.

"Malar uns'aa lu'Usstan orn tlu zhaunus ulu xuz dos." Harry warned the elf firmly in his own dialect (Fight me and I will be sure to end you.)

The foreign elf did not so much as twitch to the threat. His pale green eyes merely looked sad and bored.

"Usstan xun naut treemma ussta xuz lu'aphyon zhah naut biu an'yui ulu jal priqualen." He spoke softly to Harry (I do not fear my end and death is not an answer to all problems.)

Harry watched him cautiously and then ever so slowly; he lowered the twin blades.

"Why have you come here to kidnap me for the Soul Reap?" Harry asked

Tom paled to that and struggled to regain his movement from Harry's magic. The elf watched the mate of the eternal one and then eyed him with hesitance, "Because you are the only one who can force the gates open. At least you are now. The Peverells all but ensured it when they turned on us. They did not wish the gates to ever open again."

"What gates are you speaking of?" Harry asked now with anger laced to his voice; a warning to the elf

"The gates of Magic." He said simply

Harry's gaze narrowed, "Why would you desire for these to open? It heralds naught but death and destruction?"

Tom stilled now as he watched them seriously.

The elf eyed Harry warily, "Because our realm is endangered to ceasing to exist. We do not have enough people left to force a travel to another new realm. By opening the gates, our realm is destroyed; but, it opens another gateway to this world as the destruction is running its course. A chance for survival."

"Your ancestors ensured they sealed it and only one of the ancestral blood could ever unseal it. We are dying, but we will not die without a fight. We have lived too long to simply wait for death to come to us. Your magic is used to force the gates open, but as soon as they are; you are in direct range of the initial blast of magic. You will die to help us survive." He told Harry firm

Harry glared, "You forget something."

The elf arched a brow.

Harry smirked, "I don't do as I am told a lot, and right now; I especially don't."

The elf's eyes widened in shock a one of the twin blades struck his jugular. Blood poured quickly and the elf cursed.

"More will come; they will not give up. The Soul Reap is the end for a whole realm."

Harry's eyes hardened, "Let them come. If the Soul Reap doesn't wash away your stain to time…I will alongside of my mate. You cursed him to try and leave me left bereft of his magic and so I would never become strong enough to do as I need. For this; there is no limit to my rage of how far I will go to see the Shadowen truly washed out from all of history."

Harry smirked as he crouched down; Tom wanted to growl, Harry had given the man a nice face full of his body like that. It was irrational he knew; but, Tom did not like that Harry had so easily shown another himself this way.

"Your race will be washed away, but I will remain and I will retain your knowledge. As the Master of Death; I will see that any knowledge in your realm is brought to me before the destruction is to occur. You will not be able to warn them now, your life is forfeit."

He stood as the elf watched him summon a robe and smirk at him, "Oh, and if your people deign to ever try to claim me like they did again…I'll eviscerate them and make sure they all die in the most horrific, painful and gruesome way they can."

Tom's eyed blazed in rage to hearing that. They dared to…

Harry smiled maliciously, "They may not have touched me at all; but I know the Shadowen like to magically mark those they claim as their property."

Green eyes were so cold now, "I am no one's slave. I will not be ordered about like some common servant. I am the Lord of Death and you will suffer if you and yours cross me again. Your soul will feel their trespasses."

The elf's eyes though dim and dull held intense fear to those words and Tom wondered why. Harry watched as the Shadown breathed his last before he vaporized his body and allowed the wind to carry the ashes away.

Tom finally felt his muscles react and stood before he bolted over to Harry and surrounded his arms to his smaller frame. Harry was shivering and shaking from the ordeal; the Soul Reap…it came to a realm once every several thousand years.

Harry turned to Tom and looked his worried red gaze.

"I will speak more of this to you later." Harry said softly as his hands shook, "But, for now…"

Tom watched as Harry struggled to say what he wanted.

"For now…I need you." He breathed, "To make me forget the touch of their magic. I can't stand it on me…I feel violated and contaminated with filth."

Tom's gaze was both hard and soft to the words as he allowed Harry to drag them back into the house. They remained there and with other for the rest of the day and the house elves dared not to bother them. Knowing any intrusion now would be suicidal; even if the end of the world had come.


	7. Chapter 7: Interlude I

**Chapter 7:** _Interlude I_

Rosalynn Hawethorne had not thought to be rescued from Hell; but, it turned out that the Order cared much more for their allies than she had thought. Perhaps due to the low interest in recruitment; few people wanted to come into direct conflict with the dark lord or his vigilantes even though they did wish for the war to end. Or perhaps it was due to the too few members as it stood; for the Order was not large. It was nowhere near the size to compare to the Dark Lord's forces, though the Ministry would back them up if called upon. And even then, their numbers would remain in the realm of severely inadequate to fight the sheer massive bulk that the Dark Lord had at his calling.

But what they did have was people who were skilled in many areas of expertise. Many with both Wizarding education and an understanding of the Muggle world to varying degrees. While the Dark Lord had many men and women that would fight and die for him who also had expertise that was vaunted for its vast diversity; they seemed to know little of fighting outside of dueling. Perhaps they hid the skills and knowledge until forced to show it, she would not know and did not dare to presume anything of them after recent experiences, but as daughter to a noble house...she was curious as to how many on the dark side had any sort of knowledge to the Muggle world.

As new as she was to them, she had been rescued and then had been taken care of by the few who knew of healing magic, and allowed to recuperate some before she was to give her report. All while she rested though…she could not get two important things out of her mind that she had witnessed while in captivity. The first one being that the dark lord himself had told her of how their children were being forced to choose a side and to fight. Sheltered and protected to a point, and then forced to choose.

Something that both sides did to these children without either acknowledgment of the actions and what it truly meant or without true understanding of the effects this would later have on their lives if they chose wrongly. The Dark Lord in all his darkness and evil; he made no excuse for his actions and willingly admitted that he knew what he did in this was wrong.

But he also did not seem remorseful, nor did he ever act as if he was full of regret that such actions had been done. He had accepted that it was necessary in order to further his own agenda and therefore; allowed its continuance despite the inherent problems that came with the issues. Rosalynn had never seen that outlook before and was shocked to find her own mind begrudgingly agreeing with it.

It was one thing to hear of Lord Voldemort's honesty to his cause no matter how bereft of morals the campaign was, but another to actually see it and witness the words herself.

At first; she had wanted to deny the disgusting feeling that this made in her. To be accused of such an action…but, she had come to realize it had been very real. And what bothered her more was that she now saw how both sides of the war were as equally guilty to the actions. The Dark Lord himself had opened her eyes to a wider scene than what was originally being displayed. She was quite aware that the children of the death eaters were raised to know that they would serve; to be prepared for that day.

The day when they too knew that they would be called upon to serve the Dark Lord and his war against the Light side. To pledge their lives to a man who could simply use them as a disposable soldier and they did this willingly. Or rather, most of them did.

The children of the Light were the opposite of this; they were not as prepared to serve. They had no one they were pledged to. On one hand; Rosalynn knew that this was good…they were allowed a choice and to grow up first, but on another…she easily remembered that Harry Potter was one such case where the lines were blurred; he had defeated the dark lord at one year old, and then was never allowed to choose if he wanted to continue to fight. He was an icon; famous, and considered a weapon against darkness. Now he was missing and the Order had no idea why.

' _Well,'_ She thought idly, _'The newer members do not exactly know why. I have seen the guilt in the eyes of some of the older members whenever his name is mentioned.'_

The second topic was more surprising to her. As much as the thought of another dark lord scared her; Lord Voldemort's reaction to the newer master was intriguing. One would assume that he would angry and wish to eliminate a threat like this to his territory, but instead; it was as if they knew the other…intimately so, and he actually…dare she think it; cared for whomever it was. He had paled considerably when the elf mentioned trouble and his rage had nearly suffocated her as he swiftly ran out.

He had not returned for days to speak and interrogate her more. His followers had taken that as a sign he had what he needed from her and she was free game. They had taken turns to torture her, mar her body with wounds, and tear her mind apart; but, they never tried to desecrate her body by rape as they had once been known to do.

When the dark lord had deigned to return to her three days later, he merely sat before her and watched her. It had unnerved her. It was as if he was trying to find something he could not understand and she had seen the underlying conflict to his gaze. She felt like he was trying to reconcile something in his mind; what she had no clue, but he stayed like this for only an hour before he stood to leave, and not a day later; the Order had come to her rescue.

Rosalynn wasn't dumb and she did not ever ignore her instincts. She had been a Ravenclaw, and while not the top of her class; she was not in any way to be discounted. She had begun to wonder if the dark lord had known of the Order coming to her rescue?

He had looked exhausted and mentally drained as he eyed her at points. He looked as if he felt guilty, even if only for but a moment. Which she knew was not possible. If the other master had been truly endangered and nearly taken away…and he had cared for this person; she supposed she could relate, but Lord Voldemort as far as she was aware, he cared for no one.

She bit her lips in hesitant thought… but what did she truly know of the man as fact? Next to nothing was what her realizations had found. Hardly anyone knew of anything remotely important about him. He had hidden his past by nearly all manner of means and his current persona was still shrouded in hazy blackness to keep anyone from learning anything of him and his agenda that they were not supposed to. The exceptions to the former thoughts having been the late Albus Dumbledore as he had watched the man as a student grow into what he had and the missing Harry Potter. Potter himself had been fighting the man for his whole life and with that kind of history; he was bound to understand the Dark Lord in ways the Order could never hope to.

Dumbledore may also have shared his wisdom to Harry about Lord Voldemort. She could not say, but if Dumbledore had and Harry had learned of something he disliked; it would explain why he vanished and did not want to be found.

If the dark lord had truly known and let her go; he had consciously allowed her to be let go; then what did that mean?

A knock to her door sounded and she allowed entry. She grimaced when Molly walked in with a cheerful smile and was followed by Alastor and Kingsley.

"Rosalynn, you have had time to heal yourself from whatever your ordeal was. I know that you will still need time to heal mentally more; it won't go away easily what they did, but we need what you know to better plan things out to avoid such re-occurrences." Alastor told her in a gruff, but soft tone

Rosalynn nodded, "You may sit, if you wish. I did not learn too much, but what I did learn could be useful."

The two Aurors sat as Molly left hesitantly. Once Rosalynn watched the door close fully, she warded it with a silencing barrier and grimaced.

"Ron, Hermione, and Ginny are dead. We will not find them. I was there for a week before the dark lord himself came to me and used Legilimency to see what I and the Order possibly wanted. He did not get our more…delicate wants from me though I know he could have easily had he wanted to, but he was preoccupied and did garner we were looking for the three and Potter."

She squirmed as Alastor made a sad expression and Kingsley did as well, "He also told me that he was not who killed them, nor was it any of his followers. He told me that he had considered them and Potter a thorn in his side for too long and wanted the chance to recruit whoever had done it. I suspect he will get the chance; he alluded to knowing them, but had yet to meet them personally."

"Whoever had killed them; they left nothing behind for anyone to find. No wands, no bodies, nothing. The dark lord had commented the man was efficient and exceptional in whatever it was he does."

Alastor and Kingsley looked grim to this as she shifted, "I lashed out at him. Asked him how he could want to hurt people like that. To hurt children this way…"

Her eyes looked haunted, "His answer confused me at first; I wanted to deny it, but now…the merit to the words is not to be discounted. Both sides are guilty to the answer."

"He said that these are children who now adults. Adults who have been raised to know of and abide by our laws, and they are adults that have been reared to fight for the war. To fight for a cause that they are being raised to side with; even if they do not wish to. We shelter and protect them to a point, and after that; we force them to side with us or not, whether or not we know what we had done." She said softly

"I did not wish to believe it, but as I sat there; I realized somewhat of how true it was. The children of Death Eaters are reared and groomed to take the place of their parents, even if they do not want to. In contrast, Harry Potter defeated Lord Voldemort once as an infant. He was then known as an icon to our world, and considered more like a weapon we could use to the dark faction than a human being with emotions."

"I did not really ever know Harry well, but I do know that he was always reserved and that he had massive anger to being kept out of the loop. He felt that he should be informed because it was his job to fight, but then was treated like a child."

"A child who had endured too much to really ever admit to having been a child; he had been forced to grow up too fast." She said softly, "He was never truly allowed to choose if he wanted to fight. We just thought that he would wish to and thus; we forced him into a role he may have or have not wanted."

Rosalynn sat there as the two watched her with displacement about them, "The dark lord merely conjured a chair and watched me with immense satisfaction that his words had impacted me. He wanted to say something else, but before he could…a house elf appeared and begged of him to return to somewhere."

Rosa eyed them, "This is where things get really intriguing. I expected him to tell the elf off and to force it to punish itself for interrupting or to curse the elf for it, but then the elf mentioned another master and that this master was in trouble."

Alastor and Kingsley raised brows to this.

She sighed, "I watched as what little color was in his face drained out. He then closed his eyes and looked like…like he was listening for something. When they re-opened; his gaze was furious and his magic surged up in an absolute fury. I nearly suffocated under it alone. He seemed to forget I was there and stormed out."

"I had wanted to try and question the elf, but it was gone before I could. Three days passed by after he left. His followers had come and hurt me with wounds and torture, but never rape. Suddenly on the fourth day after this it stopped…"

She watched as she saw conflicted emotions pass them.

"The dark lord came back and merely conjured a chair and sat there. He watched me; not saying a thing. He looked as though he was trying to find something in me that he could not place, but I saw the exhaustion in his demeanor and the sense of inner conflict as he looked to me. Wherever he had gone; he had protected someone else and his thoughts were in disarray."

"He seemed to almost look guilty and as though he was trying to reconcile the situation in his mind. The only conclusion I can make for such a scenario is that whoever had targeted this new master had intended to capture him and take him away. If the Dark Lord…cared, and I use the word lightly, for this person, then I could relate."

"After he had sat there for another hour; he left. I was not bothered by anyone and elves brought me food and water that I tested before eating. None of it had been poisoned or tampered with in any form. Not even a full day later, you found me and rescued me."

She sighed, "I began to wonder if perhaps he knew. He knew that you were coming and that since he had no more need for me that he simply allowed me to be rescued. He knew I was no match for him, so why bother? But at the same time, that doesn't fit with the ideas we have of the man known as Lord Voldemort."

"But how much does anyone know of him truly?" She asked them, "Besides Albus and Potter, no one really knows anything concrete of the man and his past except for the vague pieces of history to him that we have gleaned through other means, and those pieces might not even be accurate at all. He was still a human being before he corrupted himself. Could that corruption be fought if the right circumstances or people were in place?"

Rosa eyed them, "I don't know what to really think on all this. I am still trying to process that the dark lord has emotions of any sort. However, I feel that something has happened we are not privy to about him that could potentially change the tide of the war. Some sort-of situation that has allowed him to fight his inner darkness up to a point and has fared well; one certain situation that has occurred recently to affect his mind.

He may never become Light like we are, but I…feel in my gut that he has…changed somewhat. I saw the fear in him as he fled out of the dungeons to go to the aid of the elf's master; whoever it is."

Alastor considered all this, "Did you happen to catch the elf's name?"

Rosalynn shook her head, "No. The elf was unusually well-versed in speech etiquette and had known to refrain from using it in my company. The elf also spoke rather well, but not exactly in proper English. I noted easily that the dark lord knew the elf as a light of recognition was in his gaze as he viewed the elf and that he began to fear as soon as he had come and begged him to return."

"He however, also refused to emit a name for the elf. As I said; he closed his eyes and began to search for a disturbance of some kind in the place within his magic or something, and then left in a surge of rage that went haywire around me. Enough to have almost suffocated me. It reminded me of Harry's magic sort-of too; his magic when angry becomes tangible and able to be felt when bad enough. I don't think Harry has ever gotten angry as bad as that before, and I pray he never does. His anger would be worse to endure."

They nodded and Kingsley motioned to Alastor as the man nodded and the dark-skinned Auror left the room. He watched her to see if she responded to him alone unfavorably and smiled internally as she did nothing.

"Rosalynn, I am about to let you into the higher ranks of the Order." He told her gruffly, "What I tell you cannot leave this room. All the other members of the higher ranks know of this because Harry and I agreed to them before he vanished, but they are also not allowed to say anything of it. It was kept a secret for so long for a good reason and the Dark Lord will hunt anyone down for the information if he suspects you have it."

She eyed him a moment and then nodded.

He sighed, "Potter was never given a choice to fight for the Light since it had been preordained that he do so from the time he was born. A seer had a vision and foretold of him as the child who could vanquish Riddle."

Her eyes widened, "But prophecies, even those kinds, can be altered by the actions of the recipients, or voided, or never come to pass if ignored. Do you know the words to this prophecy; I mean its exact contents?"

Alastor eyed her seriously before he nodded.

"The one with the power to vanquish the dark lord approaches. Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies. And the dark lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the dark lord knows not…and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…the one with the power to vanquish the dark lord will be born as the seventh month dies."

Rosa felt dread rise up inside her; the words while seemingly clear in their context; were much more than easily laid out.

Alastor eyed her, "Albus entrusted the words to Potter after he lost his only family member left to him. And then to me shortly before his death."

Rosalynn breathed heavily, "Alastor, I do not doubt that Albus tried his best with what he knew…but, prophecies are delicate things and as such…"

The Auror felt cold run through him.

"Speak. I will not reprimand you for merely trying to convey your thoughts."

She nodded, "I know Harry was born in July and that his parents were considered very brave people; but, do you know precisely if they actually defied Lord Voldemort personally three times?"

Alastor considered, "James was an Auror like Sirius had been before his arrest for his supposed betrayal of them. Lily had been working as an unspeakable and they were often paired together as necessary due to them being married."

"I know of the two incidents that could be leading up to the attack on the Hollow, but as for a third one…I cannot say. The attack on their home could be considered the third one as both died before the dark lord ever so much as turned his wand to Harry."

She nodded, "I want you to please keep an open mind."

He nodded again as she sat up straight, "The word you told me says that Harry has the power to vanquish the dark lord? Not kill? Not annihilate? It also says that neither of them can live as the other survives? One has to consider what survival in this context truly means?" She said

"Albus believed Harry had the power to end the dark lord as the words say if comprehended in a simple manner, but what if; and please excuse my very radical and almost outrageous thoughts that are defying all the Order has fought for, for so long; what if that backfired curse that ricocheted off of him set the precedence for another road?"

She eyed him, "The dark lord should have died that night, correct? As should have Harry if the spell had not bounced off of him? However, both he and Harry survived a curse that was never meant to be blocked at all."

Alastor felt dread once more creeping up his spine.

"I think that we have to consider what the prophecy says about both of them, and not just that Harry was supposed to have a power that could potentially end the dark lord. Neither being able to live as one of them simply survives…"

Alastor sat and watched the floor. He breathed heavily and his eye was twitching.

"Are you saying that both Potter and Riddle might have more than a cursed bond to the other?" he asked slowly, "That there is something that is drawing them together?"

Rosa eyed him warily, "I think that it is entirely possible. The Dark Lord corrupted his mind long before Harry was born. He would not have recognized the signals to indicate such a thing, and Harry had been acting oddly before his disappearance. Whenever the dark lord was mentioned; he would go quiet and seem to reserve his comments. He also reacted violently with words whenever others tried to force him to consider Ginny again."

Alastor sighed a long and drawn out breath, "Merlin…what have we done?"

Rosa looked to that suspiciously and Alastor knew he would need her help now more than ever.

"Harry never really just vanished, Rosa." He said tightly, "I pretty much forced his decision to hide away and not come back here. When Harry came into his majority early; Albus and the Order were frightened of his magic."

She arched a brow as Alastor tried to calm himself.

"To understand this fear, first you should know that during Harry's fourth year; he was forced by the Dark Lord and a few of his followers to compete in a tournament that was meant for of-age only students. There was a binding contract to it, so we had no way to safely pull him out of it without Harry losing his magic completely."

Rosa knew this; she had been a sixth year then but nodded anyhow.

"Losing his magic wasn't an option, so Harry competed and he triumphed when all the odds stacked against him. He had help sure, but it was mostly his own power and creativity that allowed the help to aid him."

"The night of the third task; Harry was port-keyed to where Lord Voldemort did a ritual to return himself to a corporeal form. He used Harry's blood as an ingredient and the forced the boy to duel him after he had watched Cedric Diggory be murdered."

Rosa's eyes widened, "Then the blood…"

She then was distracted as Alastor eyed her warily.

"Alastor, I am unsure if you know; but, the old families very rarely ever give blood for anything. Unless there is a benefit that they think is worth the price of the blood they are giving over. Blood is a useful ingredient in general terms to begin with; but, human wizard or witch blood specifically, it is very powerful and can be used for so many things that the list seems endless."

Rosa eyed him, "The ricocheted curse could have been only the start. Harry's blood in the ritual might have catalyzed something else and if Harry were to approach Lord Voldemort…what are the chances they could find common ground?"

Alastor cursed now loudly before he slumped and sighed, "Harry is the last descendant of Ignotus Peverell. His orientation became dark and he tried to comfort us all about it, but we…we all began to distance ourselves. It hurt him badly to see us do this. Albus tried to ease our thoughts, but after his death and I took over the Order; I reacted rashly due to my years as an Auror."

He eyed her, "How much do you know of the Peverell name?"

She considered, "Not much. I know they are as old as Magic is here and that the name was both feared and respected. It was said that they were immortal and had powers that modern society now would never understand."

Alastor stood, "Yes. Harry was in-fluxed with the knowledge of his Peverell heritage. Every scrap of information they ever had was infused to his being. His core was made endless and he was also cleansed of any harmful magic to him. He became immune to the corruption of dark magic no matter if he used it or not."

"He could cast hexes and curses that no one knew what was so easily that it was very scary to be in his presence when irate. He had also become gifted to all areas he once had suffered a severe lack of skill to. Potions, no problem. Runes and Arithmancy; pieces of cake even though he never studied them."

"He could travel to parallel realms and force demons to comply to his magic as if they were merely puppets on strings and he was the puppeteer. He became the Master of Death. Not even needing the Hallows; Death came to him and they interacted as if that was normal."

"We never considered what ancient healing magic he may know or other light magic. All we saw was his ever growing penchant for the darker side of magic; and it really frightened us. He had been such a soft and genuinely kind boy that no one wanted to see him change. After he lost Sirius, he had changed; but it wasn't unexpected."

"He studied harder and made sure that he was prepared. He began to think before acting and to consider all his options before just charging head-first. We saw it as him maturing and growing up, but much later on; as he began to let Death guide his study in the actual practice of the dark arts…"

"I began to fear he was going rogue." Alastor told her, "And I did something I now regret if what you are saying is true."

"I, at first, tried to have him bound to a life he could not want. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were to make Amortentia and somehow get him to drink it. They failed; and Harry struggled before we managed to detain him long enough to almost interrogate him. But, he freed himself before we really could do so and vanished from here while screaming that if they dared to show themselves to him again…he would kill them. I have no idea if the three of them found him, but if they did; we know now why there is nothing left to find."

"Harry would as easily be the world's most lethal assassin as he could be the world's most gifted healer, if desired. He has knowledge that no one else alive has."

Alastor then looked guilty as Rosa listened and did not judge him with her eyes, "But when the three had not returned to report on time as I had expected them to; I began to panic and I had several of the veteran members of the Order to try and track him down. Harry was being hunted down like a rabbit after he fled from our would-be interrogation of him."

She gasped as he winced, "I do not like to think I caused all of the reasons for his disappearance and continued hiding; but, I know that I am a part of the reason."

"If Potter sought asylum with the Dark Lord and they have… come to an agreement; it is simply a matter of time of when they strike back at us. He won't be easy to find, because as I mentioned; he can travel through parallel realms. Time and space too, if he wished and there would be no repercussions to him for it."

He eyed her, "We need to find him though. There are many questions that need answering. For now, I will let Kingsley know of what I told you and we will disband Order ops to recall everyone back and reconsider where to go from here. Molly and Arthur need to take time to heal from their loss too."

Alastor grimaced, "I sincerely pray it was not Harry who killed them. He threatened to once before if they dared to speak to him. I sent them to see him, as they knew where the house he was in currently was, but only was allowed entry if he ordained to let it. Twice before they went to convince him to return and had come back relatively unharmed."

"This time they are not at all, and I pray Harry has not killed them. It will make convincing the Order to accept him back much harder than it has to be."


End file.
